Beast
by Assassinating
Summary: A tiny tinkle, a wet stain on fur, a gentle shuddering of shoulders, the monster backed further into his corner and wept, if monsters could cry…
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Kid faced a large mahogany door. There were tiny bronze patterns carved all over it, and he thought he could see screaming faces in the images, souls of fear captured perfectly into wooden art. It was unsymmetrical.

Kid raised a hand and grasped the knocker. He took a deep breath and trying his best to ignore the hideous door, he knocked hard.

"Enter," a cool voice replied. Kid opened the door slowly.

"Seize him!" The voice suddenly shouted. Pandemonium ensued in a whirl of motion. One moment he was standing at the doorway, the next, he was down on the floor, gagged and breathing raggedly. Two guards, crouching beside him, had pinned him down with their bare hands.

Kid glanced up from his uncomfortable position on the floor and tried unsuccessfully to glare at the person standing over him. He snapped something but it came out muffled.

"Death the Kid," the cold voice sibilated. A handsome set of shiny golden boots paced before Kid's face, thudding ominously against the carpeted floor. "I have a wife, you know. She's beautiful, she's feisty, she's_ my_ wife. And may I remind you that she does not want _you_. She wants _me_."

Kid made an incomprehensible sound of protest through his gag.

"Make him stand."

The guards grabbed Kid and forced him up. Kid felt his legs go weak and soft. If not for the guards' support, he would surely have collapsed.

Lord Mosquito was rather short with chalky skin. His hair was combed neatly under his golden crown. Everything he wore, from the studs on his crooked nose to his velvet cloak was gold.

Mosquito smiled maliciously at Kid before turning to the person at his side and nodding to her.

Kid's eyes widened in shock. He knew that dirty blonde hair from anywhere. He knew that high cheekbones, that set of familiar green eyes.

"Kid, darling!" Medusa cooed, sashaying towards him. "So nice to meet you again honey! But where's your manners? You haven't seen your stepmother in months and all you can do is stare at me?" Medusa raised a dainty hand and slapped him. The force took Kid's breath away and he sucked in air quickly through his nose.

"Can I tell you something, dearest Kid?" Medusa asked. There was a childish laugh in her voice.

"Guess who tipped off Arachnophobia last year and helped dear Mosquito overthrow Lord Death?" Medusa cocked her eyebrow and grinned.

The disbelief slipped out of his face before Kid could stop it. Medusa clapped her hands gleefully.

Kid, feeling more and more sickened with horror, looked away but Medusa's long, scratchy fingernails tapped under his chin, lifting his face up so that their eyes met.

"Your father. You chose him instead of me." There was no glee in Medusa's tone now. It was sullen. It sounded like a promise, a threat.

From across the large room, Lord Mosquito fumed impatiently, "Enough talk! Get to him, witch!"

Medusa threw the king a baleful glare before turning back to Kid with a bright smile. "Bye, darling."

Kid struggled against the brute strength of the guards, trying to break free in one last, desperate attempt for freedom but their hold on him was sturdy.

Medusa was murmuring words rapidly in a foreign language. Words that were a series of tangled, guttural noises and distorted laughter.

Kid felt his chest arc outwards and he realised he couldn't see anything. The next second, he felt the pain. It was like wild fire in his veins, burning him from the inside. Torture. It seemed like millions of needles were forcing into his skin, forcing into each pore. One by one. Torture.

Kid wanted to scream but he was still gagged. He breathed in laboriously through his nose as his body spasmed. His eyes snapped open without warning though he still could not see. He felt himself being lifted into the air, his body raking in pain. The guards let go of him with a yelp of surprise.

He was writhing in the air, as if his limbs were buffeted by some unseen force. The gag dropped from his mouth but Kid still could not breathe, could not move. Just as he thought he was either going to scream or die, the pain vanished, sucking out from his battered body and giving way to fresh relief.

There was a sudden rush of air downwards and Kid collapsed back onto the ground, gasping for air. He could hardly acknowledge the pain at the impact. He would take any pain other than that black magic and be grateful.

Kid realised he could see again and he lifted his head shakily from the ground, bracing himself for another attack, but none came. Still breathing heavily, he stood up shakily and saw his reflection in the gold gilded mirror across the room. He froze.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Wedding**

Maka still could not find Kid anywhere. She had asked the guys but no one knew where he was.

"Don't worry!" Black Star called cheerfully and much too loudly from his precarious perch on the banister. "He's just hiding from THE BIGGEST STAR IN THE WORLD!"

Black Star was wearing his best black suit which made him look weirdly formal. But since he was on the banister and shouting, he looked sort of… normal.

Without warning, Spirit barrelled towards Maka from nowhere.

"MAKA!" He shrieked, tears, snot and questionable fluids streaming out off every orifice. One of his arms caught Black Star in the middle and with a startled cry, Black Star toppled over the edge. There was a sickening bone crushing noise somewhere below and a weak voice croaking something about challenging the Death Scythe to a duel.

Spirit grabbed Maka and started crushing her.

"Don't leave your daddy and marry that punk! Maka! Please! Your daddy needs you!" Spirit choked and sobbed brokenly.

After Maka Maka-chopped him and leaving her father sitting dazedly on the floor, she retraced her steps, hoping to find Kid before the wedding.

The wedding. Soul…

Soul was her partner and her best friend and they were going to get married.

Maka hoped that the Arachnophobia would not choose this day to attack the DWMA. She did not want to go out in her wedding dress swinging her fiancé at the enemy.

Arachnophobia had never relented in attacking the DWMA ever since Lord Mosquito had betrayed them and stole Brew, the weapon of mass destruction.

She stalked off in the opposite direction, not knowing where she was actually going until a young maidservant carrying a brown feather duster spotted her and exclaimed, "Maka! We've been looking all over for you. Quick! Everyone is waiting for you."

She grabbed Maka's hand and dragged her towards a wall.

"Have you seen Kid?" Maka asked but the maidservant simply shook her head, grabbed Maka's hand and herded her quickly into a humongous dressing room.

Everyone looked up as she entered. There were a variety of emotions displayed on everyone's faces. Relief, anger, joy, worry.

One particular face stood out amongst the rest, a face that was so heartbreakingly beautiful that it hurt her self esteem.

"Liz!" Maka cried out. Liz's face was alight with hope.

"Have you seen Kid?" The both of them demanded at the same time. Liz's face fell and twisted back into a vexed expression. Maka felt her heart sink too. Kid was not with Liz. Was he even going to attend the wedding?

The maidservant made Maka sit in front of a huge marble dressing table and started to work on her hair.

It seemed to take forever while servants took turns to style Maka's hair, powder and paint her face. While everyone was busy primping her, Maka drifted to sleep under the gentle tickling of a brush.

Liz shook her to wake her up. She had already changed into a dazzling dark blue gown which made Maka feel plain. Patty smirked at Maka.

"Time to put on the dress," Patty sang, dancing a little clumsily with a white gown. As Maka removed her clothes and slipped into the volumes of billowing white, she wanted to cover her underdeveloped body with Liz in the same room.

"Maka! Look at yourself!" All hints of worry were erased from Liz's face as she shoved Maka to the mirror.

Walking rather ungainly in her dress, Maka obeyed. Her mouth dropped. The woman in the mirror was definitely not her. Her ash blonde hair was for once smooth, piling softly on top of her head. Her green eyes were framed with thick lashes and her lips were an inviting pink. Something was done to her skin so that her pale complexion was rich with colour.

"That's…" Maka managed to choke when she found her voice.

"You," Liz finished, with a proud grin.

"But I can't go out like that. No one will recognise me. Soul would run away!"

There was a soft tap on the door and Liz glided rapidly to it. She wrenched the door open eagerly and looked outside. The hope in her face vanished like a candle being blown out and she slid back dejectedly to a corner in the enormous room.

Spirit was standing outside. Upon seeing Maka in the middle of the room, his mouth dropped.

"Maka! You're so cute! Come give daddy a kiss!"

"Dad…" Maka said warningly and Spirit fell silent with a scarred look. She took a deep breath and hooked her arm around her father's.

Liz opened the door and slipped outside elegantly and Patty followed her giggling. Maka's head was spinning and she felt dizzy. Drawing in a shaky breath, she exited for the main hall.

Liz opened the door to the main hall and nodded an unspoken encouragement. Maka nodded back. The entire corridor had become cool and windy. There was a subtly sweet scent of roses and freesias lingering in the air. Spirit tugged at her elbow and they entered.

The hall was cramped with people who rose at Maka's arrival. There was a huge white cake at the corner. A red carpet was laid out and when Maka stepped on it, a tumultuous cheer erupted. Maka glanced around to see the DWMA members and smiled at them. She turned back to the aisle and then, nothing else, no one else mattered anymore.

Soul stood at the end of the aisle, his mouth curved upwards in his familiar smirk. He was wearing an extravagant black suit and had combed his hair out of his blood red eyes.

Maka tightened her grip on her father's arm and they marched down the aisle together.

When she was next to the Soul, Spirit unwillingly took Maka's hand and slapped it over Soul's. He glared at the boy for good measure.

The priest was short and balding with a kindly expression. He raised his hands, palms upwards, in the air and began,

"Dearly beloved, we gather here today as God's children to witness the beautiful union between Maka Albarn and Soul Eater Evans…"

When it was time to proclaim the words that would change her entire life, Maka glanced at Soul and smiled. No words were needed to express her love and devotion to him.

"I d-"

All of a sudden, her words were cut off by screaming. Maka whirled around to see a woman bolting into the hall, kicking the flower girls out of the way.

She recognised her instantly— Eruka from Arachnophobia.

Like an alarm gone off, the guards nearest to the altar leapt forward to shield the couple from harm. They shoved Soul against the wall and formed a protective wall around him. They weren't as fast with Maka.

"Maka!" Soul shrieked, trying to tear himself free from the throng of guards around him.

Eruka grabbed Maka by the front of her gown and shoved a blazing ball of magic near her face.

Maka gritted her teeth and glared at Eruka with pure loathing. A deadly silence had fallen inside and outside the castle grounds.

Eruka turned around and addressed the congregation. "Give us Brew and we'll give you the girl."

There was a great deal of unsettled murmuring as the DWMA members turned to one another, whispering.

"Silence!" Eruka shouted and the crowd was instantly hushed.

"You! Traitor!" Eruka pointed at the DWMA's new principal who was sitting in the VIP section. "Where is it?"

Lord Mosquito raised his eyebrows and did not answer.

"Tell me or I'll kill your student!"

"Go ahead," Lord Mosquito said indifferently. Maka's blood froze and Soul let out a small gasp of exclamation.

Eruka threw Maka onto the ground. Maka heard a sharp click as her shoulder met the full impact of the force. Then, she felt her face being pressed into the fluffy red carpet.

Somewhere, Maka could here Spirit's cry of outrage.

"Where. Is. Brew?"

"I'll tell you where!" Maka choked. "Jump off a cliff. It's right below."

Eruka's frog-like mouth contorted grotesquely. She pushed the magic light closer to her face. Maka could feel the heat melting her makeup.

"Leave." A new voice commanded. Eruka extinguished her magic and Maka pushed the girl off her savagely.

"Maka!" Soul's eyes were aghast. He rushed up to her and helped her stand.

"The Thompson sisters!" Eruka whispered disbelievingly at the weapon that radiated power. She stumbled a bit and with a few muttered words, vanished from the room.

Lord Mosquito stood up then. He studied Liz's face for a moment. "Hello love, you look flustered. Were you looking for someone?"

Liz spun around to stare at him.

"It's Kid, isn't it?" Mosquito said, standing up. "I didn't know until recently that you two were in love."

"We're not-"

"You could say I was a little jealous." Lord Mosquito smiled. "So I got rid of him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Red Flower**

He did not know whether he had fallen asleep or fallen unconscious. Either way, when he woke up, Kid was facing yet again with another dreadful mirror. This one was tall and broad, so that it could take in the full length of his body. His breath caught in his throat and he could not tear his eyes off the image before him. It took him a long time to recover.

Kid stared wretchedly at the mirror when he had gotten over the initial shock. His body was large, enormous, swelled up to twice his normal height, and there was fur, brown and thick, on every surface of his skin. His limbs were muscular and sleek in a predatory way, ending in a paw with long claws. He had sharp, tapered ears which had the same shade as his underbelly. His head was elongated to look more like a snout and when Kid opened his mouth slightly, he caught a glimpse at a set of terrifying canines.

He was unrecognisable in his new form except for his gold eyes beneath the layers of fur. At least he didn't have the stupid white stripes anymore. He was symmetrical. A symmetrical monster.

_I think I hate cats,_ Kid thought as he rubbed his fur ruefully. He did not even dare to speak out loud in fear of what his voice would sound like. His whole body was aching in a way he had never felt before. It was as if the aches would last forever.

Kid looked around the room, taking stock of his surroundings. It was an unacceptable room. Someone had to duplicate the paintings on the wall and arranged them so that the room was symmetrical.

Wondering where he could possibly be, Kid got up on his new feet, wincing at the shrill screech his claws made on the floor. He tried retracting his claws a little and was pleased to find that he could.

Kid concentrated on putting one paw in front of the other, staggering a little as he experimented walking. When he made it to the door, Kid grappled with the knob for a long time before managing to open it.

_It used to be so easy, _Kid thought despondently as he stumbled ungracefully into the corridor.

It was definitely a castle, or at least it looked very much like one. This castle appeared to be abandoned for a very long time already. It carried a musty stench of some forgotten past.

As he tottered through the darkened corridor, exploring each new room, Kid discovered that the castle was much smaller than an average one. There were only two storeys, all cramped with a multitude of rooms. In the middle of the castle, Kid could see the night sky above but he did not know if the ceiling was transparent or if there was no ceiling. Even with the clear, fresh sky above, Kid felt like a prisoner in the castle.

Kid opened the last door on the second story and started to close it without interest until he saw a woman in a black dress standing in the centre of the room. She was gazing through the tall windows and at the forest surrounding the castle. Ghost?

Kid knocked grimly on the door. The woman did not respond.

_Maybe I was too polite_, Kid thought, rolling his eyes and barging in. The woman turned around.

_Oh, she's alive. I was beginning to think she wasn't- Medusa!_

Medusa smiled at his stunned expression. Kid rearranged his features immediately and gave a low, guttural growl. This was the woman who had turned him into this unsymmetrical filth! Anger boiled inside him, like a stimulant. Reflexively, Kid crouched and sprang at her, surprised at the stiffness in which his muscles were sliding. He had never had much trouble with his physical fitness before.

Medusa smiled in spite of the danger and suddenly Kid was frozen in midair. Kid struggled against the arrows that bound him, trying to break himself but he could not move a single inch.

"Do you really think you can win a fight against me?" Medusa laughed.

Kid could not do anything but glare at her.

Medusa giggled girlishly, "You can come down now." She clapped her hands twice and Kid fell to the ground with a huff. He did not get up. Medusa was right. In his condition, this was a losing battle.

"Very good," Medusa said, as if she had read Kid's mind. "You do understand that you are now Lord Mosquito's prisoner, do you?" She laughed. "Oh, yes, and that means I've already put an enchantment on this castle. You can try escaping but it's just a waste of time. No enchanted being can leave this castle."

Kid hissed in fury.

"Ah, you're upset but think of the bright side. This won't last very long. You see, you have a very short lifespan. You have up to six months max from now to live since you're considered extremely ancient in animal years." Medusa smirked a little when Kid blinked incredulously.

_Six months… _Kid could feel his heart pounding painfully against his chest and his mouth went dry.

"Unless, if a woman other than me, of course, recognises you, you'll remain enchanted," Medusa lowered her voice to a confiding tone.

"Oh, anyone who enters by the backdoor of this castle would be enchanted as well until, as I have said, a woman recognises you. Otherwise they'll be condemned to live this life forever. Lord Mosquito will be giving you regular visits and he wants me to tell you that he has heard you are a strong one for pain. Apparently, the Lord wants to shorten your lifespan to no less than a month."

Kid could not stop himself. "That son of-" He stopped short, realising that his voice did not sound gravelly and rough as he had expected it to be; his voice had not changed.

Kid did not answer, marvelling at the miracle that he still had his own voice. Perhaps Tsubaki, Maka, Patty or Liz, if they ever stumbled into this castle could recognise him by his voice.

"Don't get your hopes up, Kid," Medusa sighed.

Kid started. _Medusa could… read… minds?_

"It won't work. No ordinary human can hear your voice. All they'll hear are meaningless growls and grunts, but then again, I'm no ordinary human." She let out a high-pitched laugh.

Stricken, Kid felt the last of his hope drain away. It wasn't likely, anyway, that anyone could ever find this castle in the middle of nowhere.

"Oh, I have a gift for you." Medusa pulled out a red rose out of the air and tossed it to Kid. The rose fell onto the ground, bouncing softly a few times before coming to a rest.

There were five petals on it, each petal glittering soothingly with white sparkles. The rose was sweet-smelling, almost intoxicating and it made Kid's mouth water. It also made Kid want to confine himself in some dark room and hide there, like any other monster would.

"You'll want it, Kid. It's your escape from this world. Eat one petal and you'll regain your human form for a day. Don't try to tell a single human about your… state. Do it and you'll die."

"You're very keen on destroying my life, are you?" Kid snapped. His sharp teeth made an odd clicking sound as he retorted.

"I'm not keen, Kid. Your to-be visitor, the Lord, is." With another peal of laughter at her stepson's expression, Medusa disappeared in the whirl of her black dress.

Now that Kid was all alone, he felt a sudden thrill of fear and distress. Six months. Without seeing Liz or his friends. He didn't even make it to Maka's wedding, but at least she would be safe with Soul around. Six months. Liz would be worried. No, she could still move on. Six months. All alone.

Kid crouched on the floor, his chest heaving. He was startled to find moisture in his eyes and touched each tear gently with his claws. So monsters could cry too.

Then, Kid's eyes caught something he had never noticed before. There was a bell-jar glass case in the centre of the room, resting on a teak table. Whether the table was an apparition of Medusa's work or had been there all along, he did not care. Kid glanced down at the sparkling rose beside him.

He cupped his ungainly paws over the rose and stood up, treading cautiously as if the rose was made of glass and would shatter at the slightest breath. Kid shifted the rose carefully to one gigantic paw and used the other to lift up the glass case. It took him quite a while as the glass kept sliding from his animal grip.

With supreme care, Kid placed the rose into the case and lowered the lid. The rose floated dreamily inside the case at once and hung in midair, suspended by nothing Kid could see.

Kid let out a sigh and turned to the corner of the room where the darkness was a comforting blanket. _Liz,_ Kid thought morosely as he gazed out at the sky through the panelled windows, _if only you could hear me now. I want to tell you that I love you. _

A tiny tinkle, a wet stain on fur, a gentle shuddering of shoulders, the monster backed further into his corner and wept, if monsters could cry…


	4. Chapter 4

Hi guys! Please do leave reviews so I know whether to continue or not! ;D

**Mind over Body**

Maka's tattered dress fluttered around her ankles as she sat on the bed beside Liz. Black Star had tried storming up to Mosquito and could barely say anything before he was flung out of the room by two guards.

They were all gathered at the rooftop, their faces severe.

"What did he do to Kid?" Liz's voice was barely audible.

Tsubaki took Liz's soft hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. Soul just stared into the distance. Black Star was whimpering about his new bruise.

"We can leave the castle and find him," Liz suggested hopefully.

"But you're Mosquito's wife! If he finds out…"

"Tsubaki, please, I need to do this."

Before anyone could reply, a mechanical voice at the doorway growled, "No, you don't."

There was a sharp tinkle of glass and Liz screamed. Maka and Soul leapt to their feet simultaneously. Patty laughed hysterically.

There was a hooded guard, standing tensely beside the open door, gun in hand.

"We have to go." Liz murmured fiercely. Tsubaki had to grab on to Black Star's collar before he could charge at the guard.

"Do you think-" Maka began.

"No time! Go!"

Instead of ramming themselves past the guard and down the stairs like any normal person would, the group jumped off the rooftop and crashed onto one of the building's red spike. It snapped off instantly at their combined weight. Maka immediately thought about how much Kid would flip.

They fell, screaming until they landed into a tree.

"Into the forest!" Liz ordered and started climbing down.

It was proven almost impossible to do when they arrived at the city, the only barrier between the castle and the woods. Clusters of people had converged around them, whispering excitedly.

"Make way! THE BIG MAN IS COMING THROUGH!" Black Star shouted, pushing people left and right.

Soul grabbed her hand and they were flying through the forest again. Maka kept slipping and tripping, encumbered by her long dress. Behind, she could hear the pounding footsteps of the guards and pushed on, ignoring the stitch forming in her side.

In the forest, it was dense and evergreen. The air here was sticky and humid. Breathing became a chore.

"Not cool," Soul wheezed, clutching at his side. He chanced a quick glance over his shoulders and his stride increased. "They're coming!"

"We need to hide!" Tsubaki gasped between breaths. There was a tree with low branches at the side.

"Up that!" Liz commanded.

The guards were in view within seconds. Maka's heart stopped when a lagging member glanced up at their tree with an unfocused expression. But he turned away and caught up with the other guards.

The group slid down from their perch with a sigh of relief.

"YAHOO! Those guards were so blind!" Black Star cheered and Tsubaki quickly slammed her palm over his mouth.

"Shut up and run!" Liz cried.

The guards must have heard them and were turning around.

"Split up!" Maka ordered and the group divided into two. Maka and Soul took a left while the others ran straight ahead.

"Soul!" Maka cried after what seemed like hours of running.

A dark shape loomed ahead of them, just at the brink of the horizon. "Over there!"

Soul nodded wordlessly and they raced towards it. It was a castle, a dark, gloomy one, probably a remnant of some dark fairytale.

"Get in!" Soul hissed, pushing Maka roughly towards the unlocked gates. "Before they see us!"

Soul flung the gates open and dragged Maka in. He opened the back door of the castle but Maka stopped him. There was something wrong about this. Maka knew instinctively not to come in through this door.

"No! We can't go in by this way!"

"You want us to smash open the windows? Slide down chimney Santa-stlye?" Soul raised his eyebrows cynically.

"I just meant-"

The sound of the guards' voices filled the air.

"They can't be far! Inside!" Soul commanded and yanked Maka into the castle after him.

The door closed behind them automatically.

"What the-" Soul's red eyes were as round as two full moons.

There was a shimmer in the air as if something invisible was vibrating towards them. A tiny bright ball of white light hovered before them, moving in a constant, random motion. It was accompanied by more glowing balls that Maka soon found herself encased in the blinding flashes of light. She clamped her eyes shut just as the pain overwhelmed her.

_Scream!_ Maka told herself while brutal blows of fiery pain took its hold on her. _Scream or I'll die!_ But she could not scream. She could not find her voice. She could not find her hands to grab her neck and throttle herself to death. Death was welcome from this infernal pain.

It was like whip lashes. No, worse. It was like boiling alive in a cauldron of hot oil. No, worse. It was worse, far worse than anything she could ever imagine. Her throat swelled and in the midst of her torment, she felt a strange desire to kill.

_Let the pain stop, let the pain stop!_ Maka chanted in her head. Some of the pain had ebbed away but that did not bring her the relief she had expected. Her body felt like it was compressed, squashed and broken. _Scream!_

And then, the pain was gone, sucked away from her body from some invisible force.

Maka was so tired she couldn't open her eyes.

"Maka?" Soul's voice called from somewhere far above her. He sounded exhausted, drained. "A… are you alright?"

Maka mumbled back a reply.

"Maka!" Soul's voice was suddenly sharp with shock. Maka's eyes flew open and she realised she was lying on the ground.

A flash of silver caught her eye and Maka tried to turn to look at it but she found that she could not move.

"Maka!"

Something big and silver scooped her up. Maka struggled to fight back, to resist, but her stubborn body would not respond. The shiny thing turned her around and Maka froze. She found herself staring into a suit of armour. Armour that was moving. There was no face behind the mask, just an empty darkness. It was like every bad nightmare come true.

_Scream!_ Her instinct shouted at her. Maka screamed.

"Maka! Shh! Shh! Hush! It's me."

"D… Soul?" Maka choked, unable to tear her eyes from the faceless armour. "W… what happened to you?"

"What happened to us, you mean?" The dryness in his voice was definitely Soul's.

"What do you mean? What am I?"

Soul did not answer.

"Please, Soul…"

Soul paused for a while then sighed. The sound was gusty and echoing, like wind through empty woods.

"You're me."


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you guys for the lovely reviews! Updates would be on Saturday every week from now on. So in the mean time, review away!

**This is hope**

Kid lay on the library floor, panting in the dimmest room of the castle. His tongue lolled out grotesquely and all dignity had been lost. He was the son of Lord Death for goodness sake. And they had only just begun. So when was it going to end?

"Ha!" Mosquito bellowed. "You think you would make a better man to Liz than I do, do you?" His eyes flashed red with ire. He lashed out the whip again. Kid recoiled as a fresh wave of pain reopened a healing wound and blood gushed out in torrents.

"Look at you! Some heir to Death! You're ugly! No! Hideous!" The whip struck again, this time catching Kid on his bare chest. The blood splattered against the crimson carpet, red against red.

Mosquito flayed him mercilessly but Kid kept his jaws firmly pressed down, refusing to give the Lord satisfaction of hearing him scream. The pain was excruciating, like a lance against his skin as the whip flogged him cruelly.

After what seemed like eternity, the Lord stopped, huffing for air, his face red.

Kid watched through half-closed blackened eyes as the Lord threw the whip away and drew out a dagger to stab him.

Kid was too numb to feel any fear and when the Lord drove the dagger between his shoulder blades, Kid flinched and was almost overcome by pain. He wanted to submit to unconsciousness but he didn't dare to for fear that he would never wake up again. He should have attacked the Lord while he still had a chance. He should have prevented all this from ever happening.

Mosquito pulled out the knife and Kid jolted reflexively in agony. Without hesitating, Lord Mosquito slashed the knife deep into Kid's face, sending brown fur and blood flying in all directions. Kid bit his lip to prevent a howl from escaping, his cheeks growing dark with pain.

The Lord stood back, heaving and smiling as he examined his work.

"I'll try to pay another visit as soon as possible." Mosquito tossed the stained knife onto the ground and pinned up his golden cloak. Turning on one heel, he strode out of the room. The front door of the castle closed with a thundering slam.

"That idiot made the fur on my face unsymmetrical," Kid growled quietly, but he made himself stand up and go to the nearest bathroom to tend to his injuries.

As he staggered painfully out of the corridor, he heard new voices downstairs.

_New voices._ Kid's head spun with the lack of blood. _New people. Meet new people._

Carelessly, he faltered down the steps and glanced in the direction where the sounds were coming from. The backdoor. His breath caught in his throat, Kid stumbled to room.

The newcomer was a suit of armour holding a red scythe that bore striking resemblance to Soul in weapon form.

At the sight of Kid, the armour straightened and surprisingly, placed the scythe carefully on the table as if it were the most precious object on earth. It took on a fighting stance. Then the scythe seemed to speak.

"Soul, wait. I don't think it means any harm."

Kid moaned as he recognised the voice. Maka! What was she doing here? Did Medusa enchant her as well? Kid glanced fleetingly at the suit of armour. He could guess very well who the armour happened to be.

Soul noticed Kid's attention on the scythe and moved so that he blocked Maka protectively. He raised his fists as if to strike.

"Soul," Maka protested. "Can't you see it's wounded?"

"I can see it looking at you," Soul growled.

"What?" Kid said teasingly, though his voice was slurred with pain and fatigue. "I'm an 'it' now?

"Kid!" Maka screamed at the same time Soul exclaimed,

"It speaks!"

"It walks, it sings, it dances and it bakes perfect circle cookies too, you know. I'm not just limited to speech."

"It's Kid!" Maka squealed in excitement.

Soul stepped away instantly and lowered his fists uncertainly.

"Kid!" Maka gasped. "What happened to you?"

"It's a long story," Kid made a face, swaying unsteadily on his paws.

Maka was instantly concerned. "Lie down. You've lost a lot of blood."

Kid groaned as his head spun. "I… I'll be fine. On second thought, I'm going upstairs."

Soul scooped Maka up tenderly in his iron hands and she snapped, "I'm not made of glass, you know."

Ah, that was more like the Maka he knew. Kid hobbled up the stairs, feeling lightheaded and sleepy.

"Hey, Kid!" Soul complained from behind. "Quit stopping every single second. I feel like I'm walking behind my grandfather!"

"I must say," Kid commented as he opened the door to the nearest bedroom. "You guys seem to be taking this new development quite well."

"Why wouldn't we. This is just a very uncool nightmare and I'm going to wake up soon," Soul replied.

"Nightmare, huh?" the beast murmured softly. At once, Soul's posture became more sombre.

Kid returned with a basin of warm water and a clean rag from the connecting bathroom and sat on the bed. It was an impressive piece of furniture with dark furnished posts and soft curtains. Soul had seated himself at the edge and he was clutching Maka in his trembling silver hands.

"It was Medusa," Kid murmured, his eyes clouding as he recalled the tragic events. "She betrayed the DWMA and turned me into this."

Maka gasped and Soul, if possible, went rigid.

"She set some kind of spell on the castle. The curse can only be lifted if a woman recognises me. When that happens, all of us will go back to normal," Kid said, cringing as he pressed the damp rag against his cheek.

"Wait!" Soul interrupted enthusiastically. It was bizarre to match such an animated tone to a blank face. "Maka's a woman and she recognised you downstairs! Does that mean-"

Kid was already shaking his head. "I think Medusa means by a woman who has not been enchanted. Someone who is still human. Maka was not a woman when she recognised me."

"Hey!" Maka snapped. "Are you saying I'm not a woman?"

"You don't have boobs," Kid heard Soul mutter.

"I meant that you weren't technically a woman. You were a scythe." Kid explained. "You were not supposed to come through the back entrance. You should have used the front door instead. Now, you can never leave this place in your… state."

Maka's vehement hiss took Kid by surprise. "I told you!"

Soul just hung his faceless head and fingered the black paint on the scythe absentmindedly.

"Medusa gave me a rose with five petals. Each petal will allow me to regain my human form until daybreak and then, I'll be a monster again." He could not stop the croak from entering into his voice at the end.

"Look at the bright side, you still have your eyes and your voice. It would be only too easy to tell anyone who you are." Maka murmured, changing the subject.

"That's a big help," Kid muttered derisively though he did not intent to be so harsh. "If humans could decipher the animal sounds I make, then maybe we can get somewhere."

"There's no point taking that tone with us!" Maka snarled. But her voice softened quickly. "What happened to your face? Was it Medusa?"

Kid dipped the rag into the blood-coloured water and wrung it.

"I don't know," he lied.

"You mean when you changed, you were already like that?"

Kid nodded, carefully avoiding Maka's single eye on the scythe. Even so, he felt his friend's gaze burning into him.

"Well, we'll need to get our bearings," Soul said in a sensible manner, "We'd better explore the forest around us and then maybe we can find a way to get to Medusa and force her to-"

"Didn't you just hear me?" Kid interrupted bitterly. "The witch put a spell on this place. None of us can leave the castle in our enchanted state." Soul's metal fingers tightened on the bed sheets.

Kid sighed wearily and lay back on the bed post, recoiling a little at the stiffness in his joints and the smarting pain in every cell of his body. When the pain faded away, Kid was filled with bone-deep weariness. Maka was saying something but it sounded garbled to Kid. Nothing made sense… his eyes closed.

Kid's eyelids fluttered open. He was lying more comfortably on the four-poster bed, the blanket pulled right up to his chin. With a grunt, Kid entangled himself from the blanket and climbed out of bed. His joints creaked and the aches from the Lord's visit returned. Bright sunlight filtered through the windows and he wondered how long he had been out.

"Rise and shine!" Maka chorused. She was in Soul's arms while the latter pushed the door open, carrying a plate of what looked like watered down eggs.

"There's a whole _year's _supply of food in the kitchen and since Soul and I don't need to eat, we won't have to worry about food shortage for a while. I hope it's okay. Soul can't cook to save a life," Maka sniggered.

"Whatever. 'Sup, Kid! Feeling better?"

"Tired," Kid muttered, stifling a yawn.

Maka could have frowned. "Tired? You can't be serious! You've been out for almost the whole of yesterday and today!"

"So long?" Kid's lower jaw dropped, his front teeth scraped the bottom of his lip.

Maka's voice was suspicious. "Are you sure you're okay? What's wrong?"

"I must be getting old," Kid murmured to himself. He glanced at the disgustingly unsymmetrical food in Soul's hand. It looked very bland. He placed the plate gingerly on the table. "I'm not hungry."

Maka's voice was astonished. "But we made the omelette circular. We even measured with a ruler!"

Amateurs. Real men used protractors.

Kid shook his head and stretched, feeling the tight strain in his limbs. "Ow, ow, ow…" He moaned under his breath, trying not to let his friends see his pain. He had never felt so lethargic in his life.

"At least have something to eat," Soul said.

Kid murmured his thanks and turned reluctantly to the plate. The colours that had once appealed him now looked so unappetising. The food stared back up at him mockingly.

He took a bite off the omelette and almost choked. This was something meant for humans to eat. Not for him. Kid forced himself to swallow the ball of food down his throat. Immediately, he felt like spitting it out.

"I'm really not hungry," Kid announced, pushing himself away from the disgusting food. Ignoring his friends' protests, he limped out of the room into the corridor.

"What's with you?" Maka demanded as Soul clanked towards Kid, carrying her in his hands. "You've been acting very strange lately."

"Does it include me looking strange?" Kid remarked dryly.

"If it would just end there, then we wouldn't even be having this conversation. You've changed! Inside, I mean. I don't know what Medusa did to you but you're so dejected all the time! It's like-"

"I've got at most six months left to live," Kid interjected quietly, his startling blue eyes dulled with grief.

"-you've lost all-"

Maka fell silent.

"What?" Soul growled after a long and awkward pause.

Kid sighed and looked over the corridor railings. "As a human, I may be a teenager but animals tend to have a much shorter lifespan than humans. I guess that if there were such a species like me, I wouldn't dream of surviving past twenty. Most animals don't anyway."

A ringing silence ensued.

The suit of armour shifted his weight to one side and he cleared his throat softly. "We aren't married yet."

"What?" Kid turned around, surprised at the sudden change of topic.

"Eruka and Borah broke the wedding up and then everything went downhill from there," Maka explained.

Kid listened intently while they shared their story.

"Not to mention we're stuck here!" Soul continued. "Either we find someone who can recognise you or we sit here and wait forever in this forsaken place! This is hopeless. Where are you going?"

The beast continued walking without turning around. "To show you something." He opened the door he was looking for and beckoned his visitors in.

Grasping Maka in his silver hands, Soul followed Kid into the room. The case was right in the middle of the room so it was hard to ignore. Soul clunked noisily towards it and peered at the sparkling red rose trapped inside. "What is it?" His earlier frustration seemed to dissipate instantly, replaced by curiosity.

Maka took in a sharp breath and when she spoke, her voice sounded constricted. "Get me out of here. I feel like killing someone."

"Same," Soul's voice sounded strained too. "I just want to charge into battle."

"That's normal," Kid told them, suppressing his own urge to hide in the dark like a true monster. He touched the glass that encased the beautiful red rose reverently. "Remember me telling you about a certain red rose?"

Maka was almost incomprehensible in her moment of exhilaration. "Youmeanthisis-"

"This is hope, yes."


	6. Chapter 6

Hi guys! As promised, an update on Sat! (Though for most of you, it's still Friday) Oh, I do love abusing Kid ;D

**Intruder**

Maka woke up in Soul's arms. Soul must have shifted during his sleep and now she was wedged in between the crook of his arm. It was particularly uncomfortable as Soul's cold metal arms were joined in such a way that the metal edge scraped her body.

They were sleeping in the library. Soul and Kid helped to move a couch into a room as a makeshift bed. It was one of the better rooms in the castle as it was dark and cosy with the tall, sheltering bookshelves like sentinels. The bookshelves made it sort of comforting.

It had been one week since Maka and Soul became enchanted but neither of them wanted to explore the castle. Although it was a rather small one, it was still easy to get lost in the labyrinth of corridors and rooms which all looked exactly alike.

Soul gave a soft grunt in his sleep and moved. Maka fell onto the soft cushion in the couch. Without Soul's sharp joint poking her, it was cosier here. Maka lay there, drifting in and out of sleep.

She could have imagined it but she heard the front door of the castle creaking open and a set of footsteps. However, she dismissed the idea of someone entering the castle immediately and tried to sleep when Kid barged into the library, his gold eyes round with frenzy. He rushed to the couch at the corner of the room and grabbed Soul, causing Maka to plonk onto the couch.

"Wha-?"

"Quick! There's no time! Stay in my bedroom! Hurry!" Kid hissed.

"What the-" Soul murmured, still half asleep. But Kid grabbed his metal hand and dragged him out of the library before the latter could realise what was happening.

"Whatever happens, don't come out of the room! And don't make a sound!"

"You-"

"No arguments!"

The door slammed behind him and the library was encased in a terrifying darkness.

"Wait!" Maka called helplessly from her couch. Something bad was going to happen. She called out again and received no reply. Kid must be too far away to hear her.

She was about to give another cry when the library door burst open again. Kid staggered into the room with Mosquito behind him. The Lord had an implacable expression on his face and his eyes were slanted. He looked murderous.

The library door closed with a portentous thud.

"Where is Liz?" Mosquito shouted. He pushed Kid onto the ground and produced a whip out of nowhere. That was a sharp crack and Kid gasped.

Maka did not know she was screaming and when she did, she found that she could not stop.

"She came to find you, didn't she? Where are you hiding her?" The whip flicked as the Lord channelled his fury through the willowy instrument onto the creature on the floor.

Kid was indiscernible in his blood. He had stopped moving and Maka felt her head spin at the terrible possibility that her friend might be…

Mosquito snatched Kid's limp paw and sank his teeth into it. Kid's body spasmed and Maka felt a wave of relief. He was alive but only yet.

Mosquito straightened and spat the blood out onto Kid's unmoving face.

"She was my bride," the Lord whispered and then he raised Kid's chin higher into the air by his boot. Maka knew what was going to happen even before she saw it. The Lord stomped on his neck hard, crushing it against the floor.

Kid moaned even in unconsciousness and his animal body rippled while he fought for air, making awful choking sounds. Then, he was still again.

Mosquito stepped away from the wounded creature and bent down, one hand over Kid's snout to check if he was still breathing. His expression was so smug that Maka felt a pang of worry. He drew out a six-inch blade from under his golden cloak and propped Kid into a sitting position.

"No!" Maka whispered. She tried to struggle, to move just an inch, to stop the king. But her new body would not yield to her commands.

Kid's head lolled backwards limply on Mosquito's arm. The Lord pressed the knife against his throat and with a neat swipe, opened a vein. Blood spurted everywhere.

"Stop!" Maka cried though she knew it was too late. The Lord let go of Kid at once and stood up. He surveyed the library agitatedly.

"Who's there?"

Maka held her breath, as the Lord approached the couch. He found Maka wedged in between the cushions and pulled her out with one bloodstained hand. There was no point struggling but Maka still fought to move her body. The king's breath was hot against her face.

"This," Lord Mosquito beamed horridly, holding Maka up to examine her with his drooping eyes, "looks familiar."

He tossed Maka into the air and caught her again. Maka resisted the urge to scream as she was thrown at such velocity. Mosquito clamped his fingers around her and stalked out of the library. Inside his hand, it was hot, dark and sweaty. Breathing was like inhaling stale water and it was nearly impossible to think straight in the heat.

Mosquito opened the door and walked out of the castle. As he passed through the door, an unseen barrier prevented Maka from going any further. She felt the king's hand disappear around her and found herself falling to the floor. She shut her eyes, stifling a shriek of terror as she plunged towards the ground.

The impact took her breath away but it was nothing she could not handle.

Mosquito's eyebrows shot up with surprise as he stared open-mouthed at the scythe on the ground. Uncertainly, he reached in and his wet fingers clamped around Maka's body again. Maka felt herself being pulled out of the door and was impeded by the invisible force again. The ground flew up to her again. Maka groaned at the shock of the fall.

Mosquito's face was a dark smouldering mask. With one boot, he shot a well-aimed flying kick at Maka.

Why did it hurt so badly? Maka felt the force, yes, she felt the force and then she was airborne, flying at inhuman speed straight at the wall. Her heart leapt straight up to her throat and she crushed her eyes shut, praying that it would end swiftly.

Maka slammed into the wall with such power that she slipped into merciful darkness instantly.

"Maka? Are you okay? Wake up, please."

Maka grumbled, though she kept her eyes closed, "I'm awake."

"Maka!" Soul's voice was so filled with elation that Maka blinked open her eyes.

They were in Kid's room, sitting at the edge of his bed. Kid was lying under the covers, his face serene in sleep, oblivious to the numerous wounds his body had sustained.

"How is he?" Maka's voice was a hushed whisper lest she woke her friend up.

Soul did not go to the trouble of lowering his voice. "He'll be fine. He's Kid, what'd you expect? But how are you? I didn't know if you were unconscious or not. When I was knocked out in weapon form, I turned back into a human. "

"Hold on to that thought," Maka said suddenly. "You can teach me how to turn back into a human!"

"Easy. All you have to do is to imagine yourself in your original body."

Maka tried but nothing happened. Soul sighed and placed Maka on the floor gently.

"What happened?" Soul asked after a while.

Maka was still holding on to the image of herself in her mind. "What?"

"I mean," Soul's head turned down towards the carpet absently, studying the patterns there. "What happened after I left? Why is Kid covered in his blood and you- you-" Soul choked, unable to complete his sentence.

"It was Mosquito," Maka began and Soul's metal shoulders stiffened in astonishment. Maka went on to explain what Mosquito did to Kid but halfway, her breath caught in her throat and she found she could not go on.

When she told Soul about being flung around like a ragdoll, Soul gave a low growl of rage.

"He has anger management issues," Maka finished.

If Soul had eyes, he would be rolling them now. "Tell me something new."

"Shh!" Maka shushed, straining to hear.

"What? He left already."

"Did you hear that?" Maka dropped her voice to a murmur and listened hard. Sure enough, there was it again. The strange shouting noises at-

"The back door!" Soul hissed. He turned his silver head to stare at Maka, his empty face sending chills down Maka's spine.

As Soul hurtled down the stairs and towards the door, Maka cried, "Quick! We can't allow anyone else to be enchanted! Block it!"

Soul rammed his body against the door just as someone tried to force it open.

"What on earth?" A voice spluttered in disbelief. "There's someone inside!"

Soul's metal chest was heaving with exertion but he did not relinquish from his position on the door.

Then, the pounding stopped. There was a long pause and then Maka heard their footsteps hurrying away. Soul straightened and heaved a sigh of relief. He picked up Maka was moved to the window to watch them leave when Maka heard a new sound.

The front door opened.

It took them a moment to realise that the newcomer was no hostile individual.

"Liz!" Maka squealed with delight, dizzy with glee. "Soul, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Soul whispered tensely. "What do you think we'll look like to her? An empty suit of armour carrying a scythe? To her, we're not Maka and Soul. We're monsters."

"Liz won't think like that," Maka argued. "She's our friend."

Liz's willowy figure closed the door gently and she tiptoed, pulling a huge wooden beam down to barricade it. Then as if her strength had failed her, she leaned against the door and closed her eyes, her blonde hair in disarray.

Another figure appeared from behind her.

"What's Tsubaki doing here? Where're Patty and BlackStar?" Soul wondered out loud, gazing at Tsubaki. Maka felt like she was going to tumble out of Soul's metal hand in excitement.

"Tsubaki!"

Tsubaki helped Liz up and murmured quietly, "They would come back here with reinforcements, possibly with Lord Mosquito himself. We'll stay here for a while then we have to regroup with the others."

"Wait!" Maka cried. Tsubaki and Liz froze.

"Did you hear that?" Liz's stunning face was pinched with fear.

Tsubaki's footsteps were soundless against the carpet so when she appeared in the kitchen, Maka gave a start of surprise. Soul became very still.

"Strange place to put a suit of armour, don't you think?" Liz frowned, coming up from behind Tsubaki. Tsubaki merely nodded, staring at Soul warily. Then, they noticed Maka.

"It's Soul!" Liz murmured, gliding up to dislodge Maka from Soul's hand. Tsubaki's eyes widened.

"Soul! It's us! If you can hear us, change back to your human form!"

Maka could only stare at them mutely. Their faces fell when nothing happened.

"Ugh, it's probably just an imitation. Let's find another place to hide you; this place gives me the creeps." Tsubaki said.

Liz nodded and poked Soul's chest experimentally.

Soul winced.

Liz was transported into a frenzy of motion. "It's alive!" She shouted, eyes wide.

And then, a cheerful roar sliced through the air. A hulking, bloodied figure stumbled towards Tsubaki and Liz.

"Kid!" Maka gasped.

A gleeful sound built in Kid's throat as he loomed over the newcomers. Liz and Tsubaki shrank away.

"Don't come any closer!" Liz took on a kung-fu stance, though her legs were trembling.

"Tsubaki! Liz!" He gasped. "What are you doing here?"

The girls pressed themselves against the wall in response, eyes widening.

"Guys?" Kid lowered his huge paw and took one step uncertainly towards him.

Kid's gold eyes were fraught with pain and desperation. He took another step forward. "Liz, Tsubaki, don't you remember me?"

"Kid!" Maka said warningly. "They don't understand you."

Tsubaki did not take her eyes of Kid. She said slowly, "Liz, I want you to move away from it slowly and then run. Meet me at the place. If I'm not back by sunset, don't keep waiting."

"But-"

"Liz?" Kid turned around so swiftly that he staggered. The look in his eyes pained Maka.

He reached out a claw hesitatingly, paused at Liz's petrified expression and lowered it again. As carefully and deliberately as one would when approaching a dangerous animal, Kid brought his massive head down until their eyes met.

Liz blinked confusedly as her gaze met Kid's. Then, she shook her head vehemently and backed away hurriedly from Kid.

The devastation in Kid's eyes was almost impossible to bear.

"Kid! Watch out!" Maka cried, her ears roaring as Tsubaki stalked stealthily behind Kid, a shuriken in her hand.

Kid whipped around at Maka's caution and as Tsubaki threw the blade, he dodged.

Kid picked up Tsubaki's weapon and grasped it in his paw. He made a fearsome sight with his throat torn and his fur so stained with blood.

Liz moaned and took to the floor before anyone could stop her. Tsubaki backed slowly away and stopped when she realised Kid had not moved once she was almost out of the door.

"Tsubaki," Kid murmured despite Tsubaki not being able to understand him. "Look at me. Do you who I am?"

Tsubaki stared blankly at him. Then, she whipped her head around. Many voices. Thunder of footsteps. An army.

Tsubaki glared at Kid. "I'll be back for Liz sooner than you'd think. So when I do, don't you dare lay a claw on her."

Kid nodded. The voices grew louder. Tsubaki's eyes darted around desperately. Her guilty grimace made her look like she was on the verge of tears. With a helpless glance at Liz, Tsubaki took off into the woods.

Kid slammed and the lock creaked as the wooden beam was pushed down.

Maka's mind felt like mush. From Kid's vague expression, she could tell he felt like mush too.

"Liz and Tsubaki." Soul finally broke the silence. "We can break the spell."

Liz moaned quietly and the room fell silent again.

"Kid," Liz whispered. "Kid, where are you?"

Kid knelt on the floor beside her. He clasped her dainty hand in between his humongous ones. "Liz, I…"

Liz's eyes flickered open at his touch. She wrenched her hand away from Kid's and screamed. "Tsubaki! Where are you? What have you done to her?"

"She's rather fainthearted, don't ya think?" Soul commented. Maka merely grunted.

Disregarding Liz's protests, Kid slung her over his bloodstained shoulder and carried her upstairs. They waited until the both of them disappeared from sight before Soul clanked after them, his grip on Maka so tight that she had to tell him to loosen it before he squeezed her to pulp.

Kid had disappeared into a bedroom next to the library with Liz and when he came out, his head was hung. Maka wanted to give her friend a hug.

"I gave her a room to stay. Hopefully, she would recognise me soon."

Soul was critical. "And I suppose she would remain hushed up in there the next time Lord Mosquito comes, huh? She won't come out, screaming for help and begging him to take her back?"

Kid's furry face was surprised for a while. "Yes… I suppose."

"You _suppose_? Do you understand the consequences if she leaves? We'll remain enchanted forever."

"Well, yes but-"

Maka interrupted before the argument could get any further. "Kid, give me to Liz." She did not know what made her say it but it sounded like the right thing to do.

"Maka, be reasonable," Soul protested.

"I'm probably the only thing in this place that can get close to her since I look like Soul. Kid, please? I have a feeling that this will make her want to stay."

Kid wasted no time. He prised Soul's reluctant fingers open and took Maka from the metal hands.

"Gently," Soul growled.

The bedroom was much smaller than Kid's with a lower ceiling. There was a pale gold dresser beside a magnificent dark gold bed and a yellow dressing table. There was a golden vase on the table with sunflowers in it. Even the walls were painted gold. Everything in the room was aligned so it was perfectly symmetrical. Even the sunflowers looked artificial with their perfectly trimmed petals and symmetrical arrangement.

Liz was lying at the edge of the bed, sobbing into a pillow. At Kid's approach, she raised her head, her eyes first flashing with rebellion and then fear. Maka guessed that her friend still looked very intimidating with all that blood smeared over him.

Kid placed Maka carefully onto the bed and drew back soundlessly, closing the door after him. Liz was bemused.

She stared at Maka who held her breath. It seemed like ages since Maka saw her friend again. It felt reassuring in a strange way to be with her again.

"Soul, please tell me you're not just an imitation." Liz breathed.

It caught Maka off guard when Liz collapsed onto her pillow, weeping uncontrollably. Her slender shoulders shook spasmodically with each shaky breath she took in.

"Kid… Kid…" Liz's voice was a muffled gasp in between hiccoughs. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault." She choked on a sob.

"It's all my fault you're dead."


	7. Chapter 7

**First Petal**

"You are out of your mind!"

They were in the Room of Roses where the setting sun cast long shadows into the dim room. It had been Soul's decision to name it. Personally, Kid wanted it to be 'O' because of the letter's perfect symmetry but Soul gave him his trademark glare.

"Why not? Besides, it would be a great idea. Liz comes to the castle and at the same night she finds me human. She'll connect the clues together."

"I still think you're using the petals too liberally," Soul said.

"I'm still going to give it a try," Kid replied obstinately. He recoiled at a wave of pain in his arm. He had done his best to clean up himself though he could not stop the unexpected flashes of pain to take over him.

Soul noticed his abstraction and sighed. "If you want to become human again, you'd better take the petal before you squander the night away daydreaming."

Kid turned his head to Soul, bewildered. "But I thought you didn't approve."

"Just do it. I want to go in and give Maka a piece of my mind."

Kid could not help sniggering. "I think it would be the other way around."

"I think you're right."

Kid lifted the case off the sparkling rose before Soul could complete his sentence and at once, he felt the powerful urge to hide in a dark corner, like a monster. At the corner of his eye, he saw Soul curl his fingers into a fist.

The smell made him a little giddy, so sweet that the world around him seemed unreal in comparison. His mouth watered.

Very carefully, Kid unhooked a single shimmering petal with his claw. The moment the petal came off on his claw, breathtaking singing filled the air. It only lasted for one second but it was so beautiful it made Kid tear. He pulled his claw away and put the case back on. The invigorating smell vanished.

The petal was red and luscious, twinkling with a myriad of stars on it. Kid put it in his mouth and chewed. He swallowed.

Nothing.

"Are you sure you're supposed to pulverise it with your teeth?" Soul asked sceptically.

"I don't know!" Kid wailed. What if he had done it wrongly? What if he had wasted a whole petal for nothing?

Then, something happened. An explosion of light filled his vision and he felt himself being lifted up into the air. He waited for the pain but none came. There was just a lot of white light, swirling around him. Kid was trapped so long in his cocoon that he began to wonder if he had indeed done something wrong. The pain came. It was nothing compared to the one he had been dreading. It was only a slight sting prickling over his body. It was over very quickly.

Kid collapsed onto the ground. His first instinct was to look at his body but he feared that he would be finding his own monster features, unchanged.

The suit of armour before him made a funny noise, an echoing noise as if wind was passing through an empty shell.

Kid glanced down and found- hands. They were his, his hands, two symmetrical hands, his hands. His. Kid leapt to his feet with a feeling of being airborne. He was still wearing the clothes the day Medusa had cursed him. At least they were still clean. Thank goodness for that. He did not want to smell like he had not bathed on his date. He touched his throat. No, there was no tear there. He tested his muscles. No, there was no more aches, no more pain.

There was a series of hollow whispers and Kid turned around. Soul was like a spectrum, emitting unintelligible whispers. It was eerie but Kid did not let it show.

"Let's go, Soul," Kid sang and clapped his hands onto Soul's metal back. Soul clanked behind, still whispering.

When he reached Liz's bedroom door, he paused. What if she didn't want to see him? What if she had already moved on?

Soul tapped his shoulder and pointed at a corner, indicating that he would wait there until Kid and Liz left the room.

Kid nodded and knocked.

"Go away!" Liz screamed.

_Oh well… _Kid thought. He pushed open the door and walked in. Maka propped against the wall. When she saw Kid, the red eye on the scythe widened.

Kid winked at her and moved to Liz who was crying brokenly into the pillow. His heart gave a jolt of pain. Liz… He touched her shoulder gently and as quick as lightning, Liz grabbed his wrist fiercely, squeezing it until it turned blue.

"I told you to go away!"

"Alright, alright," Kid's laugh was only half-hearted. "If you leave a bruise, you have to do the same with my other hand or it won't be symmetrical."

Liz twisted so fast that she was a blur. Hope, joy, fear, incredulity, despair, anger. The emotions that sped across her face made Kid's heart sink. She did not want him there.

"Um… Liz? My hand…"

"Oh…" Liz released it immediately and Kid rubbed it to get the blood circulation back. Liz was still gazing at him vaguely. "I must be dreaming."

"I'll pinch you," Kid offered.

"No way!" Liz shouted so loudly Kid laughed.

"Well," she defended. "The last time you did, I had a sore for ages."

"I offered to pinch the other hand so you would get symmetrical bruises but you refused," Kid said. He turned to the window. The sky was almost dark. "How can I convince you that I'm real?"

"You can't," Liz said with a sad shake of her head. Kid felt sadness growing like a cancer in his chest. "It's too unreal."

Kid took her hands in his. This time, she did not scream, and that heartened him. He held her hand, his eyes downcast.

"Kid, look at me." Liz ordered.

Kid glanced up slowly from lashes and without preamble, Liz kissed him full on his lips. Kid gasped, unable to think straight.

Liz pulled away and glared at him reproachfully.

"You shouldn't have done that," Kid said weakly. Liz's lips pouted and wobbled. Suddenly, she was crying.

"Oh, Liz… please…"

"Kid, please, take me with you. I don't want to stay here any longer. That monster, I don't know what he did to Tsubaki. I don't know what's going on here. I want to leave- wait, how did you come in without that monster knowing?"

Kid swallowed. _She called me a monster_. "I… I'll take you outside."

Liz's face lit up. "You mean we're escaping?"

"Only for one night. I have to bring you back before dawn."

Amazingly, Liz did not complain. "Okay." With a deft finger, she traced along his throat and frowned.

"What is it?" Kid asked, concerned.

"There's a scar there. Quite faint. I've never seen it on you before."

"I heal fast," Kid said, hoping she could catch the hint he was trying to send her but Liz touched the scar for the last time and took his hand. Disappointment raged through him.

He sighed and asked, "Tell me, how did you end up here? Why was Tsubaki with you?"

Liz was mildly surprised. "How do you know about that? Is Tsubaki okay?"

"She's fine," Kid answered. _I hope._

"I… ran away," Liz explained. "Tsubaki helped me. After we couldn't find Soul and Maka, we went back to the DWMA. They weren't there either. After that, the number of guards outside my room increased. Patty and Tsubaki helped me escape before it was too difficult. BlackStar is in hiding. Do you have any idea where Soul and Maka are?"

"They're safe and well," Kid answered with a meaningful glance at the scythe on the bed.

Liz heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good. So when I left, the guards gave chase immediately. Tsubaki helped me escape and brought me here." She giggled nervously. "What about you?"

"Would you like to go now?" Kid asked, ignoring her question.

Liz frowned and nodded. Kid led her to the window. She gazed doubtfully at the ground far below her. "Are you sure?"

"Hold on tight," Kid teased. "Come on," he said, turning away from the window. "We'll take the front door."

"Won't the monster wake up?"

"He'll never be here as long as I'm around," Kid hinted again. He nodded at Soul as he passed and the suit of armour moved its head infinitesimally.

"Oh, then do come more often," Liz begged.

Kid sighed. "I'll try my best though I can't promise you anything."

Liz took Kid's face in her hands and said, "You must promise me, Kid." Her intensity of her words and gaze left Kid dumbstruck.

"I promise I'll visit you every day," Kid implied when he could speak again, "though you may not be able to… notice me."

Liz's eyes were brimming with tears. "Why? Why can't I see you? What did Mosquito do to you?"

He could not bear to see her so upset. Taking her hands one by one of his face, he brushed the tears away with the back of his finger. Kid turned to the front door, lifted the lock and opened the door.

"I wish I can tell you but I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"It's… complicated."

Liz's shoulders slumped and she looked crestfallen. "I thought you trusted me."

"It's no longer a simple matter of trust. If I tell you, I'll…" Kid trailed off, remembering Medusa's dire warning. "I'm sorry, I just can't."

Liz pouted again and allowed Kid to drag her out. The moment he crossed in invisible barrier, Kid felt a sense of triumph. How many times had he tried to walk through it only to be stopped by the barrier? He was free! Liz was measuring his expression as if trying to comprehend his strange change of emotions.

Kid laughed. "Come on, the night is no longer young. Where do you want us to start first?"

Liz crossed her arms firmly across her chest. She sulked, "By telling me the whole story and promising that I can see you every night."

Kid's voice dropped. "If only I can, I would." He put on a falsely cheery voice. "Do you want to start exploring? I've never been here before."

"So how did you come in?" Liz enquired innocently.

Kid shook his head. "It's not my place to tell you."

Liz pushed up her full lower lip defiantly. Then, her eyes brightened in a way that made Kid feel uncomfortable. She took Kid's hand and pulled him out of the castle grounds. Anticipation like wild fire raged through his veins. Free. Finally free.

"Where are we going?" Kid asked curiously when Liz did nothing but lead him deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees were so dense here it made Kid feel enclosed and suffocated. Each tree was a towering giant with draping boughs that gave the impression of a cage.

Liz shook her head, causing her sheets of golden hair to ripple in the waxing moonlight. She pulled him, half leading, half dragging him until they came to the edge of the forest.

Liz pointed ahead wordlessly and at that moment, Kid could not keep his mouth closed. Before them, was a huge shining expanse of water. The surface was smooth and undisturbed in the crescent moonlight, the light danced off it in a lively yet soothing way. Cattails swayed in unison to a tamed breeze, swinging along with the harmonious songs of night crickets. It was a picture of a fairytale.

"Where-" Kid broke off, afraid to continue lest his voice shattered the perfect illusion.

"Lord Mosquito gave it to me. He named it Lake Liz after me." Liz cocked her head wonderingly and continued, "When Tsubaki brought me to that castle, I knew where I was. I've been here before. Maybe one day, both of us can escape from that monster together and leave. I know the way out."

Kid's face turned downcast. He slumped down onto the soft grass, his chin dropping dejectedly to his chest. Maybe he had to let her go. Liz did not deserve a life with a monster. He was not good enough for her.

"Liz," he whispered as she sat down gracefully beside him. "Will you do me a favour?"

"Anything," Liz gushed.

"Go back to the Lord," Kid said roughly, aware of what he was losing. It hurt him but it was better; he could not bear to see her upset in the castle because of him. "Forget me. I'm not worth it."

Liz just stared at him, flabbergasted..

"Liz, I… I can't. I'm no longer huma-" He never finished. His heart stopped, his lungs contracted and his body was wrecked with that unforgettable pain. Just as he was at the edge of death, Kid felt himself pulled back by an invisible force and he was back with Liz again, fighting for air. He had nearly told her the truth.

Liz was touching his cold hand, worry and agitation written across her face. "Kid!"

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kid shot her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, nerves I expect."

Liz laughed unsteadily. She traced the veins along Kid's hand and murmured, "I brought you here for a reason."

She turned her gaze to the lake and smiled. "This is mine." She turned to him and touched his face. "This is mine too and that's why I'm giving you this lake. It's no longer called Lake Liz, but Lake Kid-"

"O," Kid interrupted. He smiled an eye wrinkling smile. "For the perfect symmetry."

Liz grinned.

"But no, Liz. I can't accept it. It's Mosquito's gift of love for you. I don't want to tear you into two."

"There is no tear," Liz replied solemnly, searching Kid's eyes. "I want you." Ecstasy swelled up in Kid and the night had never been more intriguing.

"I… can't."

She leaned in and whispered into his ear, "I'll end every sentence using the number eight."

"Too bad, I'm incorruptible," Kid said dreamily.

"Toilet paper, folded in triangles."

"You are wicked."

"I know." Liz smiled.

Kid returned the smile and gazed at the satirical crescent moon. He froze and tried to pull off a throwaway look of no importance as if he were doing nothing more than admiring the scenery. It did not quite mask the alarm in his eyes. The moon was setting and he needed to get back to the castle. Kid did not know what kind of fortune would befall on him if did not get back before the sun rose but he had the feeling it was not going to be pleasant.

Aware that time was slipping through his fingers like water, Kid stretched and announced, "Time to leave! It's almost morning."

Pain and misery had filled Liz's eyes that instant; a look that was so heartbreakingly dejected that Kid wanted to stay for a few minutes longer, just for her. However, he shook his head firmly and held out a hand towards Liz who reluctantly took it.

Kid pulled her up and surveyed the forest uneasily around them. It was too quiet. At this time, the frogs by the river should be still croaking, the cicadas awakening and singing to embrace the new day. Nothing. Just a deathly silence.

Shuddering slightly at the unnatural stillness and straining his ears in alertness, Kid nodded once for Liz to lead the way.

Even as they were streaking through the forest, Kid could hear no noise from the wildlife. Forbidding trees rising above them were hushed, not even a rustle of leaves in the wind to make their presence alive. The only sounds were their heavy breathing and footsteps. The hairs on Kid's arms prickled with paranoia. Then, Kid realised something was wrong.

"Liz!" He exclaimed, interrupting the silence. "Why are we back at the lake?"


	8. Chapter 8

Hey everyone! Do leave reviews! They make me happy! ;D

**Return**

Liz stopped running and turned her head towards him. Kid noticed that her eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep and her lips were pale but her voice was defiant. "You're not leaving me again, Kid."

"Liz!" Kid gasped, taking random routes and redoubling back again. Why do trees look so alike? "This is a really bad idea. You have to take me back to the castle."

"No." Liz stuck her lower lip out petulantly.

Boring his bright gold eyes into hers, Kid implored, "Please? It's important."

Liz's eyes unfocused but she gathered herself again. Her voice sounded shaky. "I… I'll take you back. On one condition," she added as Kid's face brightened, "that you come back every night to visit me."

"Anything. Quick! Take me back!"

A look of rapture crossed Liz's visage and Kid instantly regretted deceiving her. With a giggle of delight, Liz slipped her hand into Kid's and took off in different direction, in the direction where the sinking moon seemed to be pointing.

Branches hung from the trees limply as if in defeat, casting long shadows from whatever meagre light there was to bathe the ground in moonlight. Kid even thought he saw an animal pacing among the trees but it could be just his imagination.

Every rock and tree became more and more familiar and through the leafy fronds, Kid could spot the outline of the castle ahead.

The wan moon was setting. Kid widened his stride, both eager and averse to returning to the heart of his prison.

He skidded to a halt at the edge of the forest. Liz jerked at his sudden stop, pulling her backwards.

"What is it?" She demanded.

Kid's first thought was that Liz was lying all along. But he refused to believe; Liz would never do such a thing to him. What good would she gain by trapping him here in the middle of an entire Arachnophobia army?

"Kid!" Liz half-shrieked. "They're here!"

Kid clamped his fingers over Liz's mouth as the Arachnophobia closest to them whirled around suspiciously.

They held their breaths while the Arachnophobia raked his eyes over their hiding place. Kid concentrated on the spider twitching lazily on its web above him and tried to act as unobtrusive as ever.

He knew that the Arachnophobia had turned away when the tension left from Liz's shoulders. Kid glanced automatically at the Arachnophobia who trained his eyes back on the castle. He let go of Liz.

"Liz," Kid said in a low whisper. "You have to leave. Find Tsubaki and stay with her. She'll protect you."

"What about you?"

Kid gazed at the stark castle, loathing it with every fibre in his human body. "I have to go back."

"No!" Liz hissed. "I need _you_ to bring me back to Tsubaki."

"I can't go. The moon is setting. You have to do it yourself. I know you can do it.

The stubborn look was back on Liz's face. Her lower lip jutted out petulantly. "I don't care. I want you to follow me."

"Liz, look, I can't. If you want to follow me, then you'll have to go back into the castle."

They had been unconsciously raising their voices. The Arachnophobia glanced around again and through his polished golden helmet, Kid could see his eyes contract slightly. He must have thought the peace was disturbed by some wild animal and turned in front again.

"Fine," Liz agreed in an angry whisper.

"Ok, let's do it."

"Be careful," Liz murmured, touching his face longingly and with a bright flash of white light, she transformed into a gun.

Pushing away the irksome thought of using only one gun, Kid climbed a tree near the castle. The branches were low and firm and the leaves were so lush and full that Kid could hardly see anything through it. When he was at the topmost branches, the ground was not as far from him as he had expected. The Arachnophobia, all clad in red and gold, were cramped in the clearing staring at the door, waiting. Kid called out to the soldiers below.

"What are you staring at the castle for? It's disgustingly unsymmetrical!"

The soldiers stiffened and turned towards the direction of Kid's voice.

"Death the Kid! I thought Mosquito had taken care of you!" The Arachnophobia Lord Menalaus hissed, raising a fist. He sounded like a typical evil villain cursing at his sworn enemy. Kid laughed wildly. Danger made him reckless.

By now, every Arachnophobia had his eyes on the intruder.

"So…" Kid said loudly, scanning the crowd as he searched for an oppening. "What are you doing here? Still can't find Brew?"

"Silence, imbecile!" Menalaus barked. He clicked his long fingers together and a soldier dressed in white.

"You have irked me, you have irked me for far too long," Menalaus growled as he fitted an arrow onto the bowstring.

"I irk you?" Kid replied with a smile. "Now, come on. You're being too kind. Surely I do more than just _irk _you?" There! There was a space in the middle which was Arachnophobian-free.

"I hate people who irk me," Menalaus said in a chilling voice, icicles dripping off his words.

Kid glanced away for a brief second. The moon was disappearing quickly. _Before the first rays of sunlight touches the horizon._ Medusa's words rang in his head. Time to leave. He glanced down at Menalaus.

"I'm sure you do, but you have to excuse me. I must be off."

"Not so fast." Menalaus fired a beam of light from one of his rings.

As a gunman, his reflexes were sharp. Kid ducked neatly and let the beam zoom past him before straightening again. With a tremendous leap, he vaulted himself off the branch he was standing on and landed heavily on the ground, both arms in the air. Perfect symmetry. That did not stop the shock of the impact from turning his legs to jelly but he forced himself into a headlong sprint towards the castle.

"Get him! Fire!"

They were too slow. Kid had safely locked himself before a shot could be fired. And he did it all without using Liz.

"The door opened!" A deep voiced Arachnophobia exclaimed from outside. "Let's get him and Brew!"

"Fool!" Menalaus sounded half-demented with rage. Kid chuckled to himself. He irked him. "He can't lock that door from inside, can he?"

Kid never knew the Arachnophobia's answer for through the windows, the first rays of sunlight filtered in. He dropped Liz onto the ground and sprinted upstairs to his room. He was almost too late.

The tiny shimmering orbs swam into the room, pulsating as they floated towards him. The lights dancing around him, Kid's feet lifted off the ground. Fortunately, there was no pain this time but the transformation was not the least bit pleasant. He felt his joints elongate and his nails harden and lengthen into claws. Fur burst from his body, prickling at his skin. His teeth itched as it extended.

He was back on the ground again. Kid moved to the window, careful not to let anyone outside see him but angle himself so that he could see what was happening.

The Arachnophobia had felled a tree and were using it as a battering ram. Kid's hackles rose.

"Come on, you fools! If the son of Lord Death is in there, Brew must be with him too!"

Outside, the army was chorusing, "One, two, _three_!" At three, the door jerked, straining against the lock.

"Soul! Get down here!" Kid shouted, throwing himself down the stairs towards the main door. His muscles were disobeying him, hurting with each movement.

Suddenly, it was quiet.

"Did you hear that?" Kid could hear Eruka's voice from outside.

"I think it's haunted," Another Arachnophobia remarked rather calmly.

"Maybe there's a terrible monster inside."

A disquiet murmur ran through the crowd outside.

"I don't think even the son of Lord Death would be able to survive _that_. That's it, men. Let the thing do its job."

"Sire, what about Brew?" Eruka asked.

"It's not in there. The coward Mosquito would not dare go near whatever's inside the castle." Menalaus growled. There was silence, then Arachnophobia marched away with synchronised footsteps. Kid slumped against the main door in relief.

Liz was unconscious in her human form. She was splayed against the floor and unmoving. What had knocked her out?

"Hey," Soul murmured. His voice was so close Kid jumped.

"Where'd you come from?" He gasped. Soul was right beside him. Kid breathed slowly to regulate his heartbeats. He had to be careful; if his heart was beating any faster, a heart attack was on its way.

Soul tapped his metal foot against the ground impatiently. "How do you think you got in?"

"Oh…"

Soul glared at him then he blurted, "What were you thinking? Entering the place like that? You could've gotten yourself and Liz killed! Luckily Maka thought of barricading the backdoor so Liz could not come in that way or that would be so not cool! Do you…"

But Kid was not listening. Involuntarily, he touched his throat. It was shredded.


	9. Chapter 9

**Escaping Reality**

Liz was holding a virile performance in her own room. She danced from one end of the room to the other with a grace Maka could never achieve. She was singing. Maka had never heard Liz sing before and Liz's voice sounded like wind over water, so gentle and perfect, yet so horrible when she sang out of tune or when her voice broke in her excitement.

Maka saw Liz dance towards her.

Liz pulled out a single sunflower from the vase beside Maka and flopped onto the bed. She sniffed the flower appreciatively and picked at the petals.

"He loves me," Liz chimed, throwing a handful of petals behind her.

"He loves me not." Her forehead crumpled and her voice was glum. She tossed the petals behind her in childish anger.

"He loves me!"

"He… loves me not…" Liz stared at the empty stalk, her stunning face stubborn. She threw the stalk behind her and shouted,

"He loves me! I knew it!" Liz lay on her back, laughing.

Maka sighed softly and glanced up at sunflowers hanging above her, the flowers bending floppily over her. A hot gust of summer wind blew into the room and some of the pollen grains dislodged, falling onto Maka.

She sneezed.

Liz laughed and took Maka off the bedside table. She turned Maka at the hilt and Maka gasped she was rolled round and round.

After a while, Liz glanced out at the window. The sun was rising. She picked herself delicately out of bed and announced to no one particular,

"Come on Soul, I've got until evening to prepare. Let's get started."

Liz grabbed the edges of the covers and ripped them off the bed. Maka was sure she did not imagine hearing a sharp tearing noise. Liz was now under volumes of cloth, writhing and trying to break free. Maka gazed at her sceptically. It did not look like she did much housework back home. So Patty must be the one Liz dumped the chores on. Or Kid. Seeing how perfectly symmetrical their homes were, yea, definitely Kid.

Liz finally broke free, gasping and stared at the covers despairingly. She tried to stand but went down with the heavy cloth again.

Maka sighed from the bed. At this rate, she was not getting anywhere. Liz glared at her.

"Hey, I'm trying okay?"

Watching Liz make the bed with half-closed eyes, Maka stifled a yawn. She spent the whole of last night talking to Soul. She had already started to miss him. Maka yawned.

When Maka woke up, she blinked twice in rapid succession. Was she in the same room? The floor was spotlessly clean and Liz must have ripped something up and hung it over the window as makeshift curtains. The ends of the gold cloth were tattered and Maka glanced at the bed in suspicion. She knew a failed bedmaker when she saw one, but that did not give Liz any reason to rip up bed covers to put them up as curtains.

Maka was also starting to wonder how on earth did she manage to hang the curtains up when Liz shifted in the bed and moaned tiredly.

Maka glanced out at the sky. It was darkening. Evening was approaching. Maka wondered why Liz was making so elaborate preparations. Maybe she was just celebrating. Unlikely, but with Liz, who could tell?

Liz stirred as a beam of dying sunlight angled onto her face. With a grunt of complaint, Liz got up lazily. She stretched and glanced at the sky.

"Evening!" She gasped and leapt out of bed in frenzy. Patting the covers to make it smooth, Liz muttered, "Symmetry, symmetry. Kid won't come if it's not symmetrical."

Maka's eye widened. What was Kid doing? Surely he was not going to waste another petal like that? And if he did not turn up, Liz would be crushed, no, devastated. Surely he would know better than to make empty promises?

The sun set in a glorious blaze of fire and the sky turned into a tantalising orange-red. A faraway cry, a v-shaped formation of dark birds sailed through the summer sky. The clouds were all stained with a rosy tint, giving a final artistic touch to make dusk perfect.

A soft knock came from the door. Liz hopped to her feet and smoothened the creases on her dress. Maka waited with baited breath.

"Come in, Kid," Liz called animatedly.

The doorknob turned and the gold door creaked open. Kid was balancing a tray of bread and tuna in one paw. In the other, he carried a huge flask of water. Paw, and not hand.

Liz's expression transformed. Despair and fury were now explicitly displayed on her face, making her flush with colour.

"Where is Kid?" She hissed, storming right up to the beast despite the possibility of landing herself in grave danger.

"Liz…" Kid's voice was miserable.

Liz took a step back, her eyebrows raised and her arms akimbo. Her eyebrows were so close they were almost touching. "How _dare_ you? Kid is somewhere but he can't meet me and I know it's because of you. Get out and find him!"

"Liz… I…"

"Out!" Liz screamed. She grabbed the flask of water and splashed it at Kid who retreated backwards clumsily.

"Out!" she screeched, throwing the flask after him. "Out!"

She slammed the door behind him and glared at the scythe on the bed as if it were all Maka's fault.

"Hey, don't look at me," Maka muttered. It was unfair of her to throw Kid out. It wasn't even his fault. Kid had kept his side of the bargain.

"You!" Liz snarled. She snatched Maka from the bed and threw her on the floor. Maka recoiled as the she collided into the ground. Her body had not recovered fully from the episode with Mosquito and she did not need another one to intensify her pain. Her eyes enlarged with fear. Liz meant business. She was going to hurt her.

"It's all your fault!" Liz shouted, picking up Maka again. She turned to the window and hurled. Maka braced herself. As she zoomed towards the window, the air rushing past her so fast she did not have time to scream, she felt herself being hit by that invisible force again and tumbled to the floor, excruciating pain searing through her.

Liz's feet advanced towards Maka and she picked the scythe up, eyes wide.

"Not possible," she whispered. With an almighty thrust, she tried throwing Maka out of the window again. Just as she neared the window frame, Maka was bounced off from the unseen barrier and plunged to the ground with a deafening thud. She cried out in pain this time.

"Maka!" Soul's voice was clearly audible through the closed door. Liz grabbed her once more and flung her to the floor. The collision was met with an ear-splitting crack followed by agonising pain. Maka felt her body go numb. One of her limbs, probably her left leg was broken but she could not feel it.

"Transform!" Liz fumed, her perfect face twisted in rage. "Soul! Why aren't you doing anything? Transform!"

Liz grasped Maka and threw her against the door. In her fear, Maka could not feel her heart. Had it stopped? She cramped her eyes shut and suddenly, she was in warm, furry hands. She glanced up. It was Kid. Her head swam with relief.

"Are you alright?"

Maka grunted, "I think my leg's broken but I'm fine." She gritted the last word between her teeth.

"Here," Kid murmured. He held a screw which had fallen off and fixed it back in place. Maka gasped at the fresh wave of pain but her leg seemed to be back in place.

"Thanks," she muttered. Her leg was still tingling with pain but at least it was not as bad as before.

"Maka?" Soul's voice called worriedly from behind her. "I can't come near you or Liz will see. How are you doing?"

"Fine."

Soul's reply was an uneasy groan.

Maka turned her eyes to the room. Liz was standing by the edge of her bed, her = eyes stretched so wide that Maka could see all the whites around it.

Maka knew how she felt. Seeing a massive and intimidating monster fussing over a tiny scythe was bizarre. She swayed a little on the spot as if she was going to faint again.

"Give me back to Liz, Kid," Maka said wearily.

"Stop!" Soul commanded frantically from the end of the corridor. "Maka! You can't! Not after what she did to you!"

"I'm made of steel. I don't break so easily. Just do it Kid."

"No! If you go, I'll come after you whether Liz sees me or not!"

"You'll do no such thing!" Maka yelled back. She glared at Kid who looked lost. "Give me back to Liz and don't let Soul come in."

"Maka, it's your funeral!" Soul thundered.

"And you're not invited!" Maka shouted back as Kid entered the room. For a moment, she heard a clanking of metal footsteps. Then, the footsteps stopped and faded away. Soul was hurt. She hurt him. Maka felt a deepening hue of shame in her belly and swallowed painfully.

Liz's hand jumped to her mouth at Kid's approach. She shrank under his impressive height and trembled.

Maka could have sworn Kid was rolling his eyes as he pressed the scythe into Liz's hands. Liz's fingers curled around Maka's body reflexively and Kid trudged out of the room, closing the door silently behind him.

"I'm sorry, Soul," Liz whispered. She lay on her stomach on the bed, her long lustrous hair spilling out behind her and gripped Maka in her hands. "It's just that everything's so… unreal." Liz stopped short and laughed awkwardly as if wondering why she was talking to inanimate objects.

"It's just that…" Liz let Maka drop onto the bed sheets and clasped her hands over her face. Her golden hair swung forward to hide her face. Her voice became muffled from behind her hands. "Kid promised, he said…"

Maka felt her heart wrench with pity.

Liz sunk her head into her arms as she lay on the bed, shaking with sobs.

As Maka murmured comforting words that would never be heard, something caught her eye. Something dark flickering at the window sill but it disappeared so quickly she dismissed it to be her imagination.


	10. Chapter 10

**Reinforcements**

Soul had found a sword and was pointing it at Kid but the latter ignored him and went on preparing dinner for Liz again. She had not eaten since yesterday; she must be starving. Yet it seemed strange not to accept the food when he brought it up to her just now. Was she so angry at his betrayal that she wanted to starve?

"You have no idea what it's like to be so near yet so far away from someone you love!" Soul yelled, waving his sword at Kid.

That did it. Kid growled and knocked the sword out of Soul's hands.

"I don't know?" He put down Liz's dinner and took one menacing step forward towards Soul. "_I don't know?_"

Soul shuddered but he did not back down. "Oh, fine, whatever, you _do _know but at least let me have Maka back. I'll admit, Maka's pretty strong girl, emotionally and physically but I see no point in letting her stay with Liz."

"I'm sorry," Kid muttered and resumed to make Liz's dinner to save himself from further humiliation. "But I can't afford Maka to leave Liz. She seems pretty sure that she could get Liz to recognise me-"

"How?" Soul interrupted. He had retrieved his sword. "By looking like my weapon form and doing nothing? There is _no_ way-"

Kid refilled the flask and said firmly, "There _is_ a way. I will not give up hope just yet." With the serving tray and flask in his paws, Kid strode upstairs.

"He's mental," Soul hissed to himself in frustration but Kid paid no attention to him. He knocked on the door once more and left the tray and flask on the ground.

He heard the door open as he trooped down the steps.

"Beast," Liz called. Her voice sounded bleak and empty. This was the first time she had addressed him in such a way.

Kid turned around, fighting back the hope rising in him.

"Thank you," Liz's voice was frigid. She took the food and disappeared into her bedroom.

A look of wonder on his animal face, Kid laughed and danced off the last few steps, invigorated. He spotted Soul in the kitchen peeling potatoes sourly.

Without thinking, Kid grabbed his friend in his arms and whirled him around, laughing.

"Uh… Kid?"

"She said 'thank you'!" Kid laughed, putting Soul on the floor with unnecessary force. "She said thank you to me!"

"Really? Let's celebrate!" Soul sounded bored. "Seriously, dude. You still have a long way to go before she recognises you."

"It's a start," Kid sang, refusing to let his mood be dampened by Soul. He started to make dinner for himself but he chucked the raw meat aside as an afterthought.

He left Soul looking after him as he danced to his bedroom. He had to stop. His body were getting to old from this and there was a possibility he might die from exhaustion. Still feeling as if he were walking on clouds, Kid climbed into bed. He closed his eyes and smiled. There was still hope after all.

The warm, sweet scent of cookies flooded the kitchen. Once, the mere whiff of it would send Kid's mouth watering but his new body instantly repelled it now. Animals did not eat cookies. Kid would have liked to open the door and windows to let the sweet sickening smell diffuse out of the room but the door was still barricaded and opening the windows did not help very much.

"What're you doing?" Soul asked sleepily, rubbing his silver head as he stumbled into the kitchen. After Maka had moved in with Liz, Soul had problems sleeping and frequently shouted out in his dreams.

Kid spread out his colossal paws outwards at the oven. "Cookies! Fresh, crisp and semi-melted."

"Ugh!" Soul pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down, rubbing his head. "Whatever for? I thought you can't eat human food?"

"They're not for me. They're for Liz!"

"Oh good," Soul muttered and rested his head in his arms. "I'll be there when she recognises you through fresh, soft, blah, whatever cookies that are burning right now."

Kid sniffed strongly and his dulled senses caught a hint of smoke. Frenetically, Kid opened the oven door, grabbing a cloth and wrapping it over his paw at the same time. He yanked the tray out and closed the oven door.

"Saved!" Kid announced proudly, setting the half-burnt but perfectly circular cookies on the kitchen table. Soul ignored him and groaned against his arm.

Kid cocked his head to one side, straining his ears to hear the sound of door opening.

"Go to the library," Kid suggested. "She might be here any minute now."

"Whatever," Soul grumbled but he got up slowly and lumbered upstairs, his metal feet clunking dully on the steps.

Kid sat in the chair and hummed to himself. As the minutes trickled by and the cookies growing colder, Kid began to glimpse a flash of worry.

"Maybe I'll just take them up to her," He muttered to himself. Kid hooked the tray with his paws, his chest heavy. The tray was no longer warm and it seemed to suck out whatever hope from Kid, leaving nothing but an empty shell.

He turned around and nearly collided into Liz.

"You came!" Kid gasped, reeling with unfettered joy. Liz cringed at his voice but stalked past him as if he were never there. She opened the kitchen cabinet and pulled out a wedge of well preserved cheese and a slice of bread.

"I made you cookies," Kid said, pushing the cookie tray at Liz enthusiastically, paying no heed to the sharp pain in his aching muscles.

Liz took the food to the table and sat down daintily. Without looking up, she interpreted Kid's intentions and answered in an icy voice, "Cookies aren't proper breakfast."

Kid suddenly found the need to turn around and busy himself cleaning up the potato peels Soul had carelessly shoved onto the floor last night. His face was a mask of stone coldness.

When the last bit of food had disappeared elegantly behind Liz's lips, Kid set up sweeping imaginary crumbs off the table. He let his furry arm deliberately brush Liz's like he used to do when he was human.

Liz shivered and jerked her hand away in disgust. Kid grinned at her sheepishly though his heart was aching from the pain. Why could she not see that he was someone else behind that face?

Kid bowed gallantly and ushered Liz up the steps to her room. The whole time, it was as if he had never existed. In Liz's eyes, the beast was invisible.

Liz ignored the open door to her room Kid held out for her. Instead, she traipsed past it, opening doors and inspecting each room with detached interest.

When she opened the last door on the second storey, dread and horror exploded inside Kid. Blundering, he caught up with her but before he could do anything, Liz had wandered towards the tall bell jar. She smiled at it and murmured, "Pretty…" She reached out a hand as if to lift the glass case up.

"No!" Kid roared, taking Liz aback. Fear was making him half-crazed but he struggled to remain calm. Kid stumbled towards Liz and guided her gently away from the rose. "Please Liz," he pleaded in a soft voice. "Don't."

Liz raised her eyebrows contemptuously at him and broke herself ruthlessly from his grip. Without a glance backwards, she stalked out of the Room of Roses. Kid took in a shuddering breath and crouched on the floor beside the rose, feeling his heart tear into millions of tiny pieces.

How many days had passed already? That was a good question. Was it just a few weeks of a few years? It seemed like neither. The days that trickled by were measured by eternities. Each second was lived in the mundane limitations of the castle.

If he still had his old body, he could still find some way to entertain himself without fretting over whether his leg would break due to the exertion.

The tedium was unbearable; each day seemed impossibly more monotonous than the last. Yesterday had been fun. He spent the whole day sitting on the kitchen floor and stare at the huge oven where the burnt cookies roasted away happily, mocking him. Even the cookies were having much more fun than him.

Soul was avoiding him for unknown reasons and it was time wasted thinking that he could talk to Liz again. Since Maka had become Liz's newfound obsession, there was no way Kid could talk to her.

There was a slight clatter and Kid glanced upwards from where he was sitting on the steps. Soul stumbled clumsily towards Kid and muttered, "Kid, help me find some oil, would you?"

"Oil?" Kid massaged the back of his neck distractedly, relieving himself a little from the infernal aches. "Why do you need oil for?"

Soul straightened a little and turned his faceless head to stare at Kid. The beast tried not to shudder. The empty suit of armour never failed to spook him everytime it turned in his direction.

"I'm practising my singing," Soul answered in a sarcastic voice. "My skills are getting rusty so I need some oil to polish it."

"With a voice like yours, you must be a tenor."

"Just get it, Kid."

Kid sighed and heaved himself up to his feet. "There's some non-cooking oil in the kitchen. I'll get them for you."

The simple errand did nothing to improve the dullness of the situation but at least he had something to do. Kid groaned at the pain as he stretched to retrieve the stained and worn-out canister from the kitchen top. He knew that the oil inside was non-edible as he had tried to serve Liz with it before realising that the food was all coated in a black viscous liquid. Medusa was crazy to even put it in the kitchen. Was she trying to poison someone?

Glancing at the window outside casually, Kid stopped for a moment to watch the sun set. The sky was a rich gold interrupted by occasional white fluffs of clouds. The view did nothing to improve his mood. Another day gone. Wasted. He should start taking up a hobby. Maybe ice skating.

When Kid returned, Soul was stretching his metal arms before him, his spine tightened as his limbs creaked in protest.

"Oil me," Soul commanded in a gruff voice.

"What?" Kid blurted before he could not stop himself.

Soul would surely be rolling his eyes right now if he had his face. He did not lower his arms as he spoke in a droll voice, "I can't reach my back."

"But I-"

Soul turned his metal head towards Kid who fell into an uncomfortable silence. Taking the canister carefully in between his paws, Kid dripped the oil into Soul's joints. His paws soon became greasy and the canister kept slipping from his grip. With awkward coordination due to his bulk and aches, Kid managed to oil him without spilling too much liquid onto the floor.

"Mmm…" Soul murmured, stretching. His joints no longer creaked.

"You're welcome," Kid murmured and ducked back into the kitchen, holding the bottom of the canister with one paw so that it would not slip out of his hand. As he was putting the container back to where he had found it and was turning towards the tap, something caught his eye.

There were two people. Although they were so far from the castle it was impossible to see their faces, their silhouettes were too familiar. Kid's eyes widened.

They stared hard at the object for several minutes before the heads turned in a perfectly eerie synchronisation towards the tiny dilapidated castle.

"Soul!"

Soul turned his head slowly towards Kid who bolted back to the staircase, his claws pulling out carpet strings behind him. Kid struggled to catch his breath, feeling the pain in his aching ribs with each breath he took.

"What?"

"It's BlackStar and Tsubaki! They're coming to the castle!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone! I'll be uploading on Thursday nights (US timing) from now on. ^_^**

**Old Friends**

Soul stood up abruptly. "What do you mean?"

"I saw them through the window! They're coming towards the castle!"

A jolt of horrible realisation struck Kid. It was just Soul and a mythical creature tormented with age against two warriors.

"We won't stand a chance," Kid whispered and Soul's silver head turned towards him sharply. "Not in this form."

"But if we pretend that we are nothing but objects and not interfere, they'll take Liz away."

"We can't afford to lose this fight. Liz is our only hope."

Kid's claw dug deeper into his flesh but he ignored the pain. "We don't stand a chance against them and even if a true miracle came upon us and we manage to drive them out, they'll only return."

"You can lock the front and back door, can't you, idiot?"

"This is BlackStar you're talking about."

Soul growl echoed in his armour. "Oh."

Kid released his thumb, leaving a bloody mess on his flesh. He led Soul to the kitchen window and being careful to stay out of sight, he pointed.

They were much closer now and Kid could see that his friends' faces.

"We should let Maka explain to them."

"But they won't understand her!"

"The petals, remember? Besides, losing one petal is a million times worth it compared to losing Liz."

"I'll be back," Kid said grimly. As fast as his old legs could allow him, he sprinted up the stairs to Liz's bedroom.

His claws slipped as he lost grip on one of the carpeted steps and he plunged spread-eagled on the steps. The sharp corners of the stairs intensified his pain and his body was filled with so much pain that his vision blurred.

_Up, _Kid commanded himself sternly refusing to submit into unconsciousness. He struggled to his paws and grabbed onto the banister to balance himself.

"Kid!" Soul's voice was tensed. "Quick! They'll be here anytime!"

"Secure the back door!" Kid called back as he smashed his paw on Liz's door. No reply. He banged harder, not stopping even when his claw chipped.

"Kid?" Maka's muffled voice answered from behind the door.

"Maka!" Kid hissed urgently. "Get Liz to open the door now!"

There was a note of alarm in his sister's voice. "Why? What's happening?"

"No time! I need you now!"

"Liz's asleep!"

Kid swore loudly and dashed to the corridor railings and shouted. "Soul, Liz is asleep and the door is locked!"

Soul strode out of the kitchen rapidly and turned his silver head upwards at Kid. "I'll take the petal then."

"No." Kid shook his head. "I'll do it."

"It's not fair," Soul protested. His voice was interrupted by the thundering pounding on the front door. Kid chanced a fleeting out of the window. Tsubaki had turned into the demon sword.

Before he could allow Soul to protest, Kid whipped around and raced to the Room of Roses. He flung the door wide open and allowed his eyes a brief moment to be accustomed to the dim light before stumbling towards the glass casing.

Then an unfamiliar sound reached Kid's failing ears. It was the hiss of the lock opening. The pounding stopped and the door banged open. What was Soul doing? Opening the door for his enemies? Did he have a brain?

Time was racing against him. Kid lifted up the casing and yanked out the petal a little more brutally than he would have liked. Unearthly singing filled the room but Kid tried his best to concentrate on the task ahead of him. Suppressing the familiar urge to hide, Kid slammed down the bell jar and chewed the petal as fast as he could. The petal remains slid sluggishly down his throat.

After a torturous lapse of eternity, bright light finally flooded into his corneas and his paws lifted from the ground. In spite of his anxiety, Kid felt a little light-headed and exhilarated as the light spiralled around him. Another night as a human. That meant he could see Liz again when his friends were gone.

Eternity ensued.

"Kid!" Soul cried out faintly from below. "A little help here?" His barely controlled tone spoke all. He was in pain.

"Soul!" Maka's voice, clear but faraway at the same time, was filled with helplessness.

_Come on, come on,_ Kid thought frantically. _Let me get out of this thing_.

At that moment, a stinging sensation filled his body and the light disappeared. Kid collapsed onto the ground and glanced at his hands. Human. His heart swelled with unimaginable happiness. He shook himself roughly. Now was not the time to rejoice.

Time was like a slippery fish, fast and impatient. Kid raced out of the room towards the corridor railings.

Soul was standing motionlessly at the front door while BlackStar stared at him. Kid could see that Tsuabki, in dagger form, embedded in Soul's silver arm. Although he could not hear it, he knew Soul was groaning in pain. Soul's shoulders shuddered. The movement was slight but it did not escape the scrutiny of his friends.

BlackStar stepped back quickly but he pointed imperiously at Soul and declared.

"HA! You think you can scare ME? I AM THE GREAT BLACKSTAR AND I WILL POUND YOU TO PIECES!"

"Hi guys! Nice of you to show up!" Kid called, lounging casually against the dark railings. BlackStar glanced up. Tsubaki transformed back into her human form and stepped away from Soul. Soul's shoulders sloped down, relaxing.

"Kid!" BlackStar grinned widely. "You're just in time to witness my awesome performance!"

Kid sighed exaggeratedly and pranced down the stairs, enjoying the smooth response of his muscles. He had never felt this energetic and powerful in ages.

"Kid!" Tsubaki's hand flew to her mouth. "You're alive! We all thought you were-"

"I'm fine. So is Soul, Maka and Liz."

"WHOA WHOA! You KNOW where they are? Why didn't you tell us earlier? We spent days trying to find Soul!"

"Where is she?" Tsubaki asked curiously. He glanced around the castle, as if expecting their friends to pop out of nowhere. "Are they here?"

Kid fidgeted. "Yea, but they're currently unavailable."

"I swear, I saw that suit of armour move just now," BlackStar muttered darkly.

"Nah, it's just the light," Kid lied. His cheeks heated but he tried his best to slow down his heart.

When BlackStar did not look convinced, Kid laughed a little too heartily and said, "The electrician guy told me that my lights were bad and that to change a new one, I have to pay more than a hundred bucks. I'm still saving." Forced smile. "I've already saved fifty." Stop talking. Too many details. Not convincing. Kid's felt his face flush hot and his palms grew sweaty.

"Well… if you say so," BlackStar muttered and Kid wiped his hands on his pants nervously. So close.

"So where's Maka and Soul?" This time, Tsubaki who spoke.

"They're here," Kid said. "But we can't leave this castle yet. Long story."

"We've got time," Tsubaki persisted.

"On the contrary. You have to leave now." Kid gazed out of the window. There were so many clouds shielding the moon that it was impossible to tell how much time had passed already.

"You mean you make us come all the way here to chase us away?" BlackStar looked confused. "What about the beast that lives here? I'm gonna kick his ass!"

"He's gone. And so should you guys. You have to go too."

Tsubaki and BlackStar exchanged looks. Tsubaki nodded. "Fine, but before winter's over, we will pay you another visit to make sure you're alright, deal?"

Kid doubted if he could live until winter so it would not be so much of a problem. He just hoped Soul and Maka had the sense to hide when they came.

"Yea, deal. Tell Patty she needs to keep herself safe. I will _die_ if I only have one gun. The symmetry would be ruined."

BlackStar laughed loudly. "Yea, yea. And next time we meet, I'll defeat you!"

Tsubaki already opened the door and BlackStar left, guffawing his head off.

The door closed just as a single word flashed into his mind.

Liz.

Kid raced upstairs and pounded furiously on the door. There was so little time left. It was so unfair.

"Liz! Open up! Please!"

Then, he remembered his previous failed attempt trying to wake her up. He tried the door. It was locked. Kid shifted his foot restlessly and gazed out of the window. The clouds were clearing a little and he could see that the moon was fading. His palms grew damp with anxiety.

"Liz!"

There was a soft but shrill noise and then footsteps. Kid's heart soared. She heard him.

"What?" Liz yanked open the door irritably. "Are you still trying to-" She stopped short as if wondering why Kid was not enormous and furry.

"Kid?" Liz breathed. Her eyes narrowed by a fraction. A tight knot of fear curled in Kid's stomach but he did his best to push it aside.

"Um… hi?"

Liz lifted her chin up. "Why didn't you meet me? I thought you promised."

"I-" Kid's voice caught when he saw her expression. He took a tiny step backwards and heaved a deep calming breath. "I did. You just didn't notice."

"So now you're blaming me." Liz's eyes flared.

"No-" Kid protested weakly, his voice rising in despair.

Liz turned an expression of wintry disapproval at him and he fell into a subdued silence.

"How dare you turn up now?" Liz hissed, pushing Kid on the chest. The latter did not resist, letting himself stumble backwards into the corridor. The castle had turned into a deadly silence. Even life in the forest outside seemed to have frozen in time. "How _dare _you?" Liz's words were serrated, a keening knife against his human form. "You left me waiting. You didn't come!"

"Liz please…"

"Don't Liz me. Next time, before you promise anything, _think!_" Liz said acidly. Suddenly, she looked like a lost child and tears swam in her dark eyes. Choking back a strangled sob, Liz disappeared into her room with an ear-shattering crash of her door.

"Liz, wait!" Kid cried but it was too late. The first rays of dawn stole quietly into existence and the blinding light overwhelmed him. Flashes of light as bright as the blazing sun engulfed him. "Liz…" Kid moaned. Liz… his heart shattered.

Suddenly, from inside his cocoon of light, he heard the front door groan against the lock and a tremendous splintering sound as it burst open.


	12. Chapter 12

**Do you know that sunblock is amazing? My skin became lighter by at least 2 shades after using it for a month. D: I do kinda miss my tanned skin though. Hehe. **

**My Turn**

Maka could do nothing but watch Liz scream into her pillow. She sat there on the table with the familiar wave of frustration that she could not move to comfort her friend.

Soon, Liz's muffled screams turned into ragged sobs and she smashed her fist repeatedly against the bed, twisting the bare mattress sheets where the bed covers once were and leaving holes and wrinkles behind. There were tiny beads of sweat on Liz's flushed skin, glittering whenever her body convulsed.

"Liz…" Maka murmured, trying to soothe her.

Maka sighed and gritted her teeth in annoyance. If only she could reach out and console her friend, to tell her it was going to be alright. All she could do now was stare at Liz from her immovable body. Maka bit her lip fiercely and did her best to control her yearning to break from this accursed entrapment and _move._

The two women fought their own battles.

When Liz's crying had finally petered out, it was nearly noon. She sat on the edge of her bed, eyes puffy and swollen from crying and streaks of tears caked on her face. Her shoulders were still shuddering violently but no noise escaped from her lips. Liz hugged the pillow to her chest and rocked back and forth, gazing unseeingly in front of her.

"So are you angry with Kid or not?" Maka muttered, not expecting a response and was not disappointed. The whole drama irritated her. What would she give to be reunited with Soul again as a human? It was all Liz's fault; her fault for loving Kid when she should not, her fault for not recognising him sooner, her fault for being so weak.

Maka bit her bottom lip harder and tasted blood.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a timid knock on the door.

Liz straightened as if a bolt of lightning had shot through her. Her back was erect and her head turned swiftly towards the door. Maka could hear Kid's heavy breathing at the other side of the door. What did he want with Liz again? Maka wondered with stinging exasperation.

Liz ran to the door, brushed her face brusquely across her face and unbolted the door.

Maka and Liz gasped in unison.

Kid was a hulking disaster. His furry face was scored with long gashes. There was still blood streaming from his open wounds, his fur torn at several places and his throat streaked with blood. One of his eyes was shut closed and his breathing was ragged.

"Oh my!" Liz whispered, starting to sway a little. "Oh my, oh my!"

"No…" Maka croaked, feeling her throat swell. "Mosquito was here?"

Kid staggered past Liz who jumped back reflexively, taking care not to touch his bloodied fur.

"Maka," Kid groaned.

"Sit down!" Maka commanded, her past irritation caving in to worry. "You've lost a lot of blood."

"Maka," Kid went on, ignoring her. "Something important, need to discuss."

"That can wait. Listen."

By now, Liz was looking bemused at the absorption the monster was taking towards the Soul Eater look-a-like.

"Will you come?"

"No, you need to rest."

Kid sighed and gripped Maka in his damp paw. There was a huge gash in his pad, drenching Maka immediately with blood.

"Wait!" Liz tried to stop Kid. Her eyes went wide with alarm when she saw Maka in his paw. "I thought you gave it to me."

Kid shook his head and pointed at himself, then to Maka, and to Liz and held out his free paw in a 'wait' gesture.

Liz's expression cleared though she looked a bit troubled. "You'll return it to me afterwards?"

"I'm not an 'it'," Maka mumbled.

Kid nodded at Liz.

"I-" Liz began, and then stopped. She chewed on her bottom lip and stared longingly at Maka. "Don't kill anyone with it." Her voice cracked a little and she bit her lip harder. Her voice was cold when she continued, "and do get yourself cleaned up before you come back. I don't want blood all over my carpet."

Maka felt Kid's body tremble with pain but he nodded indifferently again and made his way carefully to the door.

"What?" Maka demanded once the door had closed behind them.

Kid ignored her and hobbled into the Room of Roses. A shiny suit of armour stepped forward at their approach. The dimming light from the window bounced off his armour so that he was framed in the orange light. Kid stopped walking.

Maka felt her throat swell with emotion. How long had it been already?

"Soul!"

"Maka," Soul replied hollowly.

Maka's heart sank. Had their friendship disintegrated after their long separation?

However, Soul took two mighty strides to reach her and grabbed her off Kid's wounded paw. He pressed her to his cool, hard chest and hugged her tight.

Maka could hardly breathe but she did not complain, smiling against Soul's chest.

"I missed you," Soul murmured.

"Me too," Maka mumbled back, wanting to wrap her arms around Soul and growled in frustration at not being able to.

They broke apart from their tight embrace. Soul shuffled his metal foot sheepishly against the carpet when he saw Kid examining the blank wall with polite interest. Maka flushed.

Kid grinned, turning around. "Still in one piece?"

"So," Maka said. "What's going on?"

"Kid had an idea."

"An idea?" Maka echoed.

Kid explained, "I don't think things are progressing with Liz and I so we need a plan B. I want to use another petal-"

"No," Soul interrupted. "Bad idea. Useless plan. Stupid reason. I won't allow it."

"-to find out another way to break the spell. Track down Medusa and find a way to put an end to it." Kid continued as if Soul never spoke.

"Right," Maka growled, shooting searing glares at Kid and Soul. "Who's going to make the reconnaissance of the DWMA?"

Kid glanced up eagerly but Soul hissed, "No, he's already taken two petals. It's only fair that I-"

"I think Maka should take it."

Maka's mouth dropped. "_Me_?"

Soul froze and wrapped his arms around the scythe protectively. Maka felt the cold hard metal pressed against her body but she was too excited to feel any pain. She would be able to walk and move and...

"No," Soul said laconically.

"Soul, please..."

Kid was not paying attention to any of them. He staggered to the glass jar and lifted it. The scent that diffused through the room was intoxicatingly lovely. Maka's throat swelled and instinctively she wanted to slash something. To cut through the air in deadliness. Kid, gritting his teeth in restraint against something unbeknownst to Maka, reached into the jar with one claw.

Kid pulled a petal gently out and spectacular singing sprung in the room. It only lasted for a second but Maka was so shocked by the breathtaking beauty of it all that she forgot about her bloodlust.

The bell jar was lifted down over the flower again and Kid carried a sparkling petal towards Maka.

"Remember," Kid growled. "Medusa's room is on the highest level. Search though the scrolls and her books and come back before daybreak."

He pierced the petal through the tip of scythe. Maka felt her teeth sink into the soft petal. It was tasteless.

"You only have up to dawn, so you have to be quick," Soul said.

The crushed petals disappeared down her throat and Maka closed her eyes, waiting.

Through her closed lids, she could see dazzling light surround her and her eyes snapped open. She was lifted into the air, suspended there by nothing she could see. It was then did she realise that she was no longer in Soul's hands.

Her heart clenched, bracing herself for the fall. It never came. Her body was suddenly covered in infernal itches, stinging at every joint and bone. Maka gritted her teeth to repress the yearning to scratch. When it finally died away, she felt so fatigued and hungry that she fell limply to the ground without feeling anything.

Something cold pressed against her ear and Maka glanced up to see Soul's empty head. She did not recoil but said weakly, "Food, I need food."

Instantly, Kid charged downstairs and returned a minute later with an armful of bread in his dirty paws.

Soul picked a clean piece of bread and ripped it into shreds with his bare hands. Whispering unintelligibly, he put the bread into Maka's mouth.

The flavour was rich and incredible. It was as if she had never eaten bread all her life. The texture was smooth and fluffy. Sweetness spread through her tongue and Maka chewed with newfound energy. When she had finished, she sat up and tore at the bread with vigour.

It was through her twelfth bread that Maka stopped eating. She raised her hand in wonder and gasped at her ability to move it. Her laughter glittering in the air, Maka stood up and whirled about in a circle. Her feet were not yet accustomed to walking, much less dancing and she stumbled.

Soul was there before she fell. The sound he made sounded like laughter.

"Oh, you keep quiet," Maka muttered, smacking him on his metal head and was pleased that she could.

Kid tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the pitch-black sky through the window.

"Right, right, right." Maka nodded. "I need to go now."

Kid grunted. Giving Soul a swift peck on his cold armour, Maka waved farewell and trotted down the steps. Each step she took, each tiny movement she made gave her such thrill that she regretted ever having to take such motions for granted.

At the landing, she tripped over the frayed wedding gown she was still wearing and fell flat on her face. Maka cursed and in her frustration, tore at her skirt so that it was shorter and less puffy.

Feeling more comfortable, Maka lifted the very badly damaged lock off the front door and opened it. She reached her hand out tentatively, half-expecting the invisible barrier to stop her in this very motion but her hand passed through without being impeded.

She took in a sharp breath, eyes widening in surprise. Maka stepped out of the castle and into the cool night air. She stood on the porch for a moment, closing her eyes as she revelled in the fresh breeze.

When she opened her eyes again, confidence and anticipation swelled inside her. She was ready. Maka slipped into the forest, turning back to look at the castle one last time.

Soul was there, just a tiny silver figure, watching her. His hand pressed against the barrier as if yearning to reach out and go to her.

Maka gave a tiny wave and melted into the darkness.

It was surprisingly easy to reach the city. There were no clouds obscuring the moon tonight which made illuminated the forest in its misty glow. Every tree, every shrub seemed to grow more and more familiar and Maka's pace quickened.

Not long after, the forest cover started thinning away and Maka found herself facing a completely different city than she expected.

Festive lights had been hung on every wall of the city, throwing brief flashes of indigo, orange and violet into the sky. A multitude of people had gathered around an enormous bonfire, filling the air with steady loud chatter. There were empty wine skins everywhere and occasionally, Maka could hear snatches of distorted singing. She thought of her mother's distaste for drunkards and edged around the crowd, trying to be as unobtrusive as ever.

Without the shelter of the forest, a cold late autumn breeze stung her cheeks. Maka shivered and continued walking.

It was by circling the raucous crowd that she realised not one of them was a woman. Maka glanced to the houses around the clearing and was surprised to see every single building empty and dark. Where were the women and children?

Then, something on the wall ahead of her caught her eye. It was framed with red lights, winking sporadically. As she neared it, she realised it was a wanted poster of herself and Soul.

The paper looked crisp but dirty prints were stamped on every inch of the parchment. On it was a rough sketch. The artist was not very good, Maka thought vehemently. Her eyes did not look like _that_. And why did they make Soul look much hotter than her? Under her picture were the words: Wanted dead or alive for insubordination and connection with Arachnophobia.

"Hey, miss!"

Maka whipped around and she saw a fair-skinned man hobbling drunkenly towards her. The stranger continued staggering until he was two arms length away from her.

"Stay back," Maka said, grabbing a branch from the ground and flourishing it recklessly. It was not her preferred weapon choice but Soul was not here. "I'm warning you. I'm dangerous!"

"Hey, 'old it there, wouldcha? No nid to git so hasty 'ere." From up close, Maka could see that the man's clothes were tattered and his hair mattered. His foul breath was like a stink explosion, assailing her senses. Maka noticed a glint of bottle in his hand. _Rum_, she thought disgustedly. In his other hand, he carried a rusty sword loosely. That was when she began to feel a little uneasy.

The man squinted at Maka and scratched the back of his head with his index and middle finger, using the rest to wrap around the neck of his bottle. The contents inside the glass bottle swished lazily as he scratched.

"Ye look a tad bit familiar. 'ave we met?"

Slowly, Maka shifted her body so it obscured the flashing wanted poster from the man's view.

"I don't think so," she said and lowered her stick. Maka was glad to see the man frown and shake his head in confusion. Then, his frown deepened.

"Wait, wha' are ye doin' 'ere? Ye know women aren't allowed close to the forest."

Maka's interest piqued. "Really? Why?"

"Tchah! I presume yer new 'ere?" The man scoffed, shaking his bottle of rum.

Maka nodded furiously.

"Women and children aren't allowed 'ere, not anymore. It's Arachnophobia, see. They've bin spotted in the forest. An'way, Lord Mosquito didn't like it an' station'd us men here in case the lousy Arachnophobia ever came back."

Maka paled. It was obviously a ruse to stop women from entering the forest and recognising Kid.

"Oh," Maka said formally as if this piece of news did not concern her. "I have to get back and join the rest of the women. Do you know where I can find them?"

"N' problem. They're all camped in the mark'place." The drunkard stared at her and frowned again.

"Hey! You're that-"

He never finished. Maka swung her branch as hard as she could into his head. The drunkard crumpled and the bottle of rum in his hand splintered as it came into contact to the ground. Wet liquid sprayed up at Maka, drenching her shoes, making her toes feel sticky.

Several heads turned at the sound. Some of them were beginning to stand up with their weapons. Shouts and murmurs began to break out the crowd.

Dread filled her but she made herself fade into the dark streets, edging away from the crowd.

"Crazy drunk!" she yelled loudly before she whirled around and raced to the marketplace.

The lonely streets at night were echoingly eerie. It was strange to see no sign of life in the heart of a busy city. The inadequate cover around her made Maka feel shamefully naked. Another draft ruffled through her hair and Maka stuffed her hands under her armpits to keep herself warm.

Then she noticed something was wrong. Her footsteps were never this loud. She stopped walking abruptly and heard a separate set of footsteps falter.

Quick as charged lightning, Maka whipped around, branch flying wildly. Her pursuer emerged slowly, his dark clothing making him both hard and easy to recognise at the same time. Maka's green eyes widened.


	13. Chapter 13

**Spirit is voiced by the awesome Vic. ;D He's amazing!**

**Vic Mignogna Rocks, Doesn't He?**

"What the heck! Dad!" Maka hissed, trying to slow her thumping heart.

Spirit's grin was so wide his smile filled up most of his face. He grabbed Maka into a crushing hug and when he finally let go of her, his face was serious.

"You're looking for Medusa right?" Spirit asked and Maka nodded in surprise.

"I'll show you the way."

They were like two shadows in the night, hardly making a sound as they crept through the streets.

"In here!" Spirit hissed and gestured at a very ordinary-looking house. He opened the door and Maka slipped in after him.

It was pitch black inside. Maka trod on her father's foot and hissed an apology. The air inside was stale and smelled of mouldy bread. She felt something brush against her arm and almost yelped in surprise until she realised it was just the door frame.

There was a sharp snap and Maka saw her father's face illuminated by a flickering reddish glow.

"Close the door!" Spirit ordered as he guided the flame carefully into an oil lamp.

Maka did as she was told. The feeble light was not enough to manoeuvre with ease but at least she did not trip. When she turned back again, Spirit rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"MAKA!"

Maka punched him. "Shut up!"

The windows creaked shrilly and Maka's heart stopped. She froze against the door, unmoving until she was sure it was safe again.

Her words tumbled out of her mouth. "Dad, I need to get into the DWMA fast. Get into her room and-"

Spirit stopped her with a hand. "Her quarters in the DWMA doesn't have her notes. She does her research here but she won't come here until next week. I know there's something wrong when she stopped me and started talking about the punk and you out of nowhere. But dang, does she have a nice set of-"

"Okay, shut up. I need to get to work."

Maka grabbed the oil lamp from her father and glanced at the notes spread out on the desk in the house. There was a book lying on the table and Maka bent over so she could read it in the dull light. It was about transformation of humans into chimeras or inanimate objects.

Maka frowned. It was convenient finding the book there. Too convenient. Then, she noticed some writing at the bottom of the page. The handwriting was so cursive that Maka had to squint to make out the words.

"What does it say?" Spirit asked, leaning closer.

"Argei Jjosh, fasj" Maka said slowly, trying to decipher the handwriting.

Instantly, black arrows shot out from the pages of the book and tried to wrap themselves around Maka and Spirit.

"Watch out!" Spirit shouted, scythes suddenly appearing on his arms and he slashed at the arrows.

"Run!" Spirit gasped, retreating quickly and using his body to shelter Maka from harm. Once they were out of the house, they slammed the door behind them and heard several loud thuds against the door where the arrows tried to break free.

"It was a trap," Maka gasped. "She knew we were coming."

"Look," Spirit said, pointing at the door. There were words beginning to form there. Before the letters could appear clearly, a book dropped out from the letter box and the words were gone. Maka picked up the book. It was the book she was reading just now. She did not know if the book would bite or not but she decided to bring it back to the castle to read.

Spirit wheezed loudly. "MAKA! ARE YOU ALRIGHT! Did you see your daddy fighting off those nasty arrows? Cool right?"

"Yea, dad. Very cool." Maka smiled impatiently and glanced at the sky. Was it her imagination or did the sky turn noticeably brighter. She paled.

"Dad, I've got to go now."

Her words made Spirit's eyes stretch wide with alarm. Without warning, Maka threw herself into her father's arms and hugged him tight, dimly aware that this might be the last time she could ever see him again.

"Bye Dad," Maka whispered, squeezing him one last time before she raced into the icy night. Her dad just stared after her dumbfounded.

A little while later, she heard shrieks of exuberance.

Maka started running. Fear gripped her as she glanced at the sky for the thousandth time. Time was short. Time was cruelly short. She had no idea what would happen if she did not get back before the sun rose. Would she turn into a scythe in the middle of nowhere? How would Soul find her? What if she could not get back?

Maka skidded to a halt when she reached the clearing nearest to the forest. There were a profusion of Mosquito's guards patrolling and Maka dived behind a crumbling stone wall for cover. She peeked out slowly and ducked down again when a nearby guard glanced suddenly at her.

Maka leaned against the wall, breathing hard. Now what?

Rhythmic footsteps marched in her direction. There were some yelling and more footsteps turned towards her.

Maka did not move a muscle, eyes wide with terror and sweat dripping down into her open mouth. Spitting the salty water out softly, Maka fumbled for a loose stone in the ground. Yes! She pulled it out, loose soil sticking into her long fingernails.

Moving only her wrists, Maka flicked the stone far away from her. The rock clattered on the ground noisily.

The footsteps stopped.

Maka held her breath and stiffened against the wall.

"You three," Maka heard a harsh voice hiss, "give this area a good patrol. The rest of you follow me."

Maka allowed herself the blink a little and relax her tensed shoulders as the heavy footsteps faded away. Three. This was going to be simple. She spoke too soon.

Out of nowhere, a spear had landed right in front of her, barely missing her. Maka glanced up to see three identical faces grinning at her.

Cursing, Maka rolled out of the way and leapt to her feet.

Although the guard were all pale-skinned and muscular, one of them was a colourless giant by standards, another was not far from being a snow white dwarf and the last one was thickset. All but the giant had a spear in their hands.

The giant yelled, his words ripping through the air like thunder, "We found the girl! We found the-"

Maka yanked the spear from the ground and swatted him in the head. The giant collapsed, making the ground shake a little.

"I am not _the girl!_" Maka spat. "I have a name!"

"Get her! Quick!"

Maka glanced swiftly behind to make sure the other guards were not returning before she barrelled straight into the other two guards, making them fall from either side. Her head spun a little at the impact but she forced herself to run straight into the forest.

All around her, soldiers were standing up curiously. Some of them seemed to recognise Maka and were beginning to drive her into a corner. Thinking wildly, Maka whipped around and screamed.

"MAD DOG! MAD DOG! RUN!"

Without pausing to see if the soldiers had responded to her sudden outburst, Maka put on a burst of speed and sprinted into the forest covers.

The forest flashed past her as she dashed headlong back to the castle. Maka had no idea how much longer it was till sunrise but she knew time was against her. She had to run faster.

Despite the fact that she was nearly out of breath, Maka forced herself to widen her strides and increase her pace.

A sharp high-pitched sound whistled past her ear and Maka stumbled to an abrupt halt, surprised. There was a spear semi-embedded on the ground where she had been a second ago.

She was still lightheaded from the sudden stop and she did not see a white cloaked soldier charging at her until it was too late.

Maka was on the ground. Her chest was tight with pain and her vision was blurred. Then she felt a sudden weight on her chest. She shook her head a little and when she could see clearly again, her blood ran cold.

"Oh look at this! And I thought you were already dead," Eruka said, smirking slyly. She was carrying a spear and there was no one else with her. Upon closer inspection, Maka noticed that Eruka was looking very strained although the smug smile never left her lips.

"You have to let me up. The guards are coming."

Eruka chortled so loudly that Maka flinched on the ground. Through ashes in her mouth, she pushed away her pride and begged, "Eruka, you have to let me up. Please."

Eruka blinked, surprised. She was so shocked that she loosened her grip on Maka completely.

"Wha-"

She stared blankly after Maka as the latter wriggled free and leapt back onto her feet. She started to run again when a force bowled her over.

Maka struggled to free herself but the grip on her was strong. Her heart raced. She had to get back before sunrise. She had to.

With all her power, Maka wrenched herself free and stumbled in the process. Just as Maka was about to stand up again, Eruka launched herself onto the older girl and nailed her to the grass. The sultry smell of grass filled her nose and she coughed raggedly.

"Eruka," Maka pleaded miserably. "Let me up… please."

"That won't work again!" Eruka spat back.

Maka stiffened without warning. Her eyes rolled up, turning glazed and glassy. Wind howled inside her ears, filling her senses with confusion and noise. Then she heard Eruka's voice magnified by a thousand times.

"What's happening to her?"

The pain seared through her ears and she screamed without caring if her enemies heard her or not. She felt a hand touch her skin— she did not know where— and this time, burning hot fire burned viciously on her. She let out another shrill cry.

"She's cold!" Eruka exclaimed, removing her hand at once. The fire did not stop burning. Instead, it grew in intensity.

Maka could hear footsteps rushing to her and there were several voices speaking at once.

"Isn't she the wanted girl?"

"What's she doing here?"

"It looks like she's in pain."

"There's something in her hand."

"Someone call a healer."

"Who cares, she's just another worthless criminal from the DWMA."

Maka wanted them to stop speaking. Every word sent a new blow of pain to her ears. Her heart pounded in her chest rapidly and she tried to scream again. This time, she could not. Maka tried to move her body but nothing happened. She was immobile.

Her sight was slowly restoring back to her and Maka saw dirt-covered faces hovering over her. Every touch and sound did not hurt as badly as before now and Maka's eyes clouded momentarily in relief.

However angst filled her again when she realised that she might be a scythe but there among the faces around her, not one betrayed a look of surprise.

"Hey! Girl?" Eruka asked, poking her shoulder. Maka could sense that her Eruka did not know what to feel— concern or sadistic amusement?

An Archophobian, on the other hand, stared down at Maka in disgust. "Where should we dump her body in?"

"Wait," Eruka murmured. "She's breathing; she's still alive."

"So?" the Archophobian demanded.

Eruka sat on the ground, staring up at the Archophobian. Her eyes blazed momentarily and she stood up.

"I won't let her die," Eruka vowed, her hands balled up in tight fists.


	14. Chapter 14

**Knight in Shining Armour**

Kid was alone in his room, trying his best to clean up his wounds when Soul barged in. He looked up at the silver weapon and kept his face from showing any signs of aggression. He had to act civil even if Maka was not around to protect her prince charming.

"It's sunset," Soul said. His voice sounded detached and his metal helmet was turned in the direction of the window as if Kid was not really there.

Kid stood up with a grunt. He winced at the tight pull of his leg where he had sorely attempted to stitch it up.

"And?" He asked.

"And?" Soul bellowed, turning to face him. "You made me wait the whole day to see if Maka had come back and she hasn't! AND?"

Kid's brow furrowed. "Soul, please calm-"

"No, I will not calm down! Maka should be long back by now!"

Kid held out a hand for silence. "Maybe the spell broke when the sun set and she's human again."

Soul smashed the wall with his hands in aggravation.

"Oh yes, and birds wear human clothes! You think Medusa would make it so easy? Maka might be out there, transformed or something. I'm going to get her."

With that, he stormed out of the room. Kid hurried after him.

"Soul, wait!" Kid cried as Soul entered the Room of Roses. "Maybe Maka is on her way home now."

"Maybe you should go boil you head," Soul answered grimly as he clanked towards the bell jar.

"But if you take that petal, there would only be one left."

"I'm not stupid, Kid. I can count."

"Let me take-"

Deftly, Soul flicked his newfound sword up at Kid's throat. Kid stopped walking and closed his mouth.

"On another day," Soul said, breathing hard. "I would have argued and fought with you. Not today."

Kid stepped back away from the sword, glaring at his friend. The suit of armour turned away and lifted the bell jar. Kid hardly noticed that the subconscious part of him was dying to hide in the shadows. He stared insolently at Soul until the harmonious music broke the scowl on his face.

When the light swelled through the room, Kid shielded his face with a furry arm and squinted. It only lasted for a moment.

Soul landed on the ground, bedraggled. His white hair had grown at least 4 inches, his fringe growing way past his chin. His eyes were sunken and his once handsome clothes dishevelled.

"Food," Soul's voice cracked as he tried to raise himself feebly from the ground. He collapsed, breathing heavily.

Without responding, Kid hurried down to the kitchens. He almost knocked Liz over on his way down.

"Beast!" Liz exclaimed, her eyes wide. Kid grunted in reply and scrambled through the pantry for human food.

"Here," Liz held out a huge slab of cheese helpfully. Kid blinked thanks and hurried upstairs with the food.

"Hey!" Liz called behind him indignantly. "Where are you going with that?"

Kid did not have time to stop and chat with the friendlier Liz as much he wanted to. He rushed up the steps, taking enormous strides and skipping several steps at once despite the pain in every part of his body. When he entered the Room of Roses, he felt a venomous twinge of envy at Soul's human form. How he longed to be back in his own body again.

Kneeling down, Kid broke off a piece of cheese and handed it to Soul who wheezed incoherently.

He stuffed the cheese into his mouth, dropping crumbs all over the carpet. As if he had gained sudden energy from the cheese he had just consumed, Soul crammed the remainder of the food into his mouth, chewing and swallowing so quickly the whole thing was gone within seconds.

Soul sat up unsteadily, gasping for air. His mouth was smeared with cheese and his hands were oily.

"Help me up, Kid," Soul commanded weakly between deep breaths of air.

Kid obliged, pulling his friend up to his feet.

"Be careful! Liz's downstairs," Kid warned quickly when Soul staggered towards the door. Soul sighed.

Before he could get to the stairs, Kid overtook him and rushed down to the kitchen before Liz could see him. Soul hissed angrily at Kid as he passed.

In the kitchen, Kid blocked the doorway with his huge bulk and hoped that Soul would leave soon.

Liz was half-hidden in the cabinet, hunting for food. She was not aware of Kid's presence until she ducked out of the cabinet.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, surprised, dropping her apple on the ground.

Eager to help, Kid bent down to pick up the fruit. His back stiffened with pain but he continued to reach for the apple. He dug his hind claws into the carpet and picked up the apple.

"Thank you," Liz said just as the main door closed softly. She hesitated, cocking her head to one side. "Did you hear that?"

Kid shook his head furiously. Trying to distract her, Kid polished the apple on his arm and handed it to her with a flourish. Liz smiled and took a large bite.

"Listen." Liz cleared her throat and put her apple on the table. She played with her fingers uncomfortably and studied the ground intently.

Kid wanted to put a paw under her chin, look at her in the eye and ask her what was wrong.

Pulling a strand of hair nervously back behind her ear, Liz groaned, "This feels stupid. You probably won't understand me but if you do, I need to say this." She sighed and Kid waited expectantly.

"You have to stop following me around." Kid stopped breathing and felt as if lightning had tore through him.

"I- you- it would be great if you could give me some space for a while." The thunder roared, almost unbalancing me.

"So, I'll be going to sleep now. Please, don't follow me or make me anything to eat." Liz tangled her fingers together in an agitated mesh and left the room.

The rain fell. It came like a storm, powerful and merciless. Kid grabbed a tuft of fur on his chest where his heart lay underneath and gasped. He was not aware that he was no longer standing as he crouched on the ground, feeling so ashamed of himself.

_Of course,_ he thought, pounding on the carpet angrily. _She would never see anything unless it was flashing with neon colours. It was useless trying to convince her to recognise him in the first place._

Kid closed his eyes, worn out from all the excitement. He felt a hot tear at the corner of his eyes and when he finally opened them again, he saw Medusa kneeling beside him.

A cry of shock and outrage escaped Kid but Medusa did not move, watching her stepson with amusement.

"Medusa!" Kid snarled.

"Hello Kid," Medusa acknowledged with a playful grin. "I see you have changed the interior of the house. It is rather symmetrical."

"How can anyone be so cruel?" Kid said, eyes blazing with unbridled ire.

Medusa's expression changed all of a sudden. Her face hardened as she snapped, "Shut up! Stop complaining!" Then, her face softened and she said in a sweet, tripping voice, "Oh, I'm so sorry about that. I was talking to someone else. Now where were we? Me being cruel?"

Kid shrank back against a wall, not knowing what to do.

"You're quite right, my darling. _I _am cruel and my purpose here would only add to more cruelty."

"Oh please," Kid scoffed disdainfully, gathering courage from his pent-up anger. "No more drama. It's making me sick. Besides, the only thing that would probably add to this cruelty is that you came in and moved the photo frames out of place."

Medusa laughed. "Exactly my point, dear. That's what I did."

Kid rolled his eyes even though he was screaming inside. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any crazier."

Medusa's giggle made Kid cringe. "That's just it, Kid. Your time in this world would be up once the first day of winter ends."

"Did I not tell you to avoid all the death, doom and gloom?" Kid retorted without real conviction in his voice. His body felt empty and strangely alien to him. How much longer did he have before he would leave it?

"No, Kid," Medusa whispered in a breathy voice. "It's doom, gloom and then death. Same words, different order and now if you would excuse me, I have something to attend to."

She picked up the apple Liz had left on the table and pulverised it with her fingers. Kid watched in mute fascination and horror as the pulp dribbled down on the carpet. When the liquid stopped flowing, Medusa was no longer there. All that remained was a single apple seed.

Then, Kid felt a cold hand touch his shoulder and his heart jumped to his throat. The hand squeezed his bone hard. Ripples of pain sent sharp electrical impulses to his brain. He could feel the cold iron grip digging into his muscle, tearing it apart, ripping.


	15. Chapter 15

**Son of Lord Death**

Kid awoke, gasping.

"Don't _prod_ him like that, Soul," Maka said softly in a tone that did not match her words. She sounded as if she was confused.

Kid blinked his eyes open and sat up, rubbing his shoulders where Soul had poked him.

"Finally!" Soul snorted. "He's been sleeping the night away… without even waiting for us to return." He added in a lower tone.

Kid coughed raggedly. "How long have I-" His eyes widened as he took in Maka' silver body. "You've changed back!"

"Hm… now why didn't I notice?" Soul was starting to sound impatient.

"You've been out for more than a day," Maka told him in the same dazed tone.

"A day? Maka? What did you find?" Kid croaked.

"This book." Maka said and Soul held the book out for Kid to see. It was titled Human Transformation. "I'm sorry. There was nothing inside that was useful. Apparently, the only way to break it is to get a woman to recognise you."

Kid narrowed his eyes in frustration. It took all his control not to snap at Maka.

"Okay, so you only got one book and no results? Why did you come back so late?"

"I bumped into Arachnophobia. Eruka… She helped me. She protected me from the rest of her people when it was sunrise. And when Soul came, she just ran off without saying a word."

"If you could have let me gone to her earlier, all this would have been avoided!" Soul snarled at Kid.

"Soul!" Maka spat. "I don't need you fighting for me. Now you two listen. We don't have very much time left. The seasons are starting to change and Liz still hasn't-"

"What season?" Kid whispered, his mouth feeling parched with fear.

"Late autumn. About two more weeks to winter. Why?"

Two weeks. A fortnight. Fourteen days.

He turned around and fled from the kitchen, unable to bear the penetrating stares from Soul and Maka. No one tried to stop him or demand an explanation. Maybe they already knew.

Kid cleared the steps in a few gigantic leaps and found himself entering the Room of Roses unintentionally. He stopped running and turned to the window, panting hard.

Red maple leaves spiralled frenziedly by a strong gale. Through the thick glass panes, he could hear the wind howling. He touched the glass and felt the uncomfortable chill on his claws.

There was a subtle metal clattering at the doorway.

"Go away," Kid muttered.

"Oh, enough of the moaning and groaning. C'mon, let's go."

"Go?" Kid echoed, shifting his body to face them. Soul was using both hands to carry Maka.

"Hello!" Soul said in a sing song voice. "I can't bring Maka to Liz, can I? She'll have a heart attack."

Kid started to protest but Maka made a shushing noise. "I don't care what's wrong with you but there's still hope. There always is."

Kid sighed and limped towards Soul who took a step back at his approach. With his two front claws, Kid picked Maka up and closed his furry paw around her handle.

"Alright then," Kid announced.

In his paw, Maka asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Kid muttered.

"Kid, I know-"

Kid stopped any further conversation by knocking the door to Liz's room. Maka fell into a disgruntled silence.

The door creaked open and Liz's bright eye appeared in the crack. The moment she saw Maka in Kid's giant paw, her eye widened and she opened the door all the way.

"My scythe!" Liz exclaimed, scooping Maka out of Kid's paw. At their touch, a tingle of electricity ran through Kid. Liz froze in motion for barely a second before she dismissed it.

Kid felt the muscles in his face sag in sadness and backed away into the gloominess of the corridor at once. He left without being acknowledged. Liz didn't even see him.

His hind claws tore up the carpet strings in frustration as he walked. It was no use but there was no point being so upset about it. If he was going to die, he was going to sit around and feel sorry for himself.

He shook his head and made his way to the library. He opened the book that Maka had brought back and sat down to read. He turned the cover over. Dust rose out from the yellowed pages and clouded his vision. Kid turned away quickly in a frantic bout of coughing and sneezing.

When the dust cleared, Kid glanced back at the page grimly. The title was printed in clear, roman-like letters:

_Keep out. Close this book immediately and leave at once._

So it was only his nature to turn over the page.

He did not know how long he was reading and when a shadow flickered across the page of the book, Kid closed the book hurried and glanced up, expecting Medusa. It was only Liz. Maka was there as well.

"Beast." Liz took Kid's arm and pulled him out of the chair. Her eyes were desolate. "I need you to help me."

"Anything," Kid vowed sincerely.

Then he remembered Liz could not understand him and Kid nodded solemnly.

"I need you to help me find someone. I need you to help me find Death the Kid, son of the late Lord Death."

"This is insane," Maka grunted as Liz squeezed underneath the cabinets in the kitchen and looked intently around. Liz had propped Maka against the counter.

Kid hung back because of his colossal bulk and stared around the kitchen in boredom.

"This, I agree." Kid leaned against the dining table and played with the splintering ends of the table top idly. He cut himself in the procedure and blood spurted out. Surprisingly, there was no pain. He had finally grown immune to it.

Liz sneezed violently from under the cabinets and Kid could not resist but chortle.

"Go ahea', laugh," Liz sniffed nasally from underneath the table. "Hel' me ou', will you?"

Kid took her by her waist and pulled her out. What emerged was a soot-covered Liz. She was so filthy that Kid could not recognise her behind her mask.

"Tanks," Liz murmured and sniffed again. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and when she caught Kid staring at her in astonishment, she blushed.

"This place is making me barbaric," she explained, pinching Kid playfully on his cheek. She got up and made her way to the main hall. "C'mon, let's go search for him here."

Kid scrambled after her eagerly, a look of rapture on his face.

Her back leaning backwards in a reflective position, Liz studied the rows of amour lined up against the wall.

"You start from this end, I'll start from the other. Maybe Kid's hiding inside one of them."

"Oh please!" Maka hissed, frustrated.

Kid shrugged but obliged willingly anyway. He traipsed towards the last suit of armour in the row and lifted the visor.

He let out a terrifying roar into it and Liz giggled at the other end. Kid smiled back radiantly.

"Um… Kid?"

Kid jumped back, eyes blinking with incredulity.

"I am half-deafened and covered with spittle. Why?"

"Oh no…"

"You're right." Soul's voice had become very dangerous now. "Oh no."

Kid jumped back out of Soul's sword range and dashed to the next suit. A series of colourful words hurling after him, Kid cackled and 'checked' the rest of the suits.

"Found him?" Liz asked when they met in the middle.

Kid shook his head.

"That's too bad. Hey, let's go down to the cellar."

Kid nodded ardently.

"Kid!" Maka called. Something in her voice made Kid stop in his tracks. "I hear someone at the door! Quick! Hide Liz!"

His fur was starting to feel heavy with sweat.

"Mosquito!" Kid whispered.

Ignoring her sounds of protest, Kid pushed Liz behind Soul and grabbed a shield from a nearby suit. He made Soul hold it to shelter the girl from sight.

"I hate you, Death the Kid," Soul growled.

"You know, I'm pretty busy now so hate somebody else for the moment, will you? I'll be right back."

The door inched open. Kid stepped away from Soul and heard Liz squeal in surprise at the sight of his visitors.

Mosquito smiled warmly at Kid as though they were old friends. Behind him, his platoon of guards stood at attention.

"These are difficult times. Arachnophobia is crawling all over the forest. Come, old friend. Let us go to our usual place."

Kid winced and he allowed the Lord to march him to the library. The guards stayed downstairs.

"So," Mosquito said conversationally. "I've heard you've got precisely twelve days left to live."

Kid could not hide his shock and dismay. Twelve? He thought he had fourteen.

"My visits would not be as frequent as before. Those disgusting Arachnophobia are getting too close to this place for my liking."

Mosquito pushed Kid forcibly into the library and bolted the door behind him.

Kid got up immediately and ducked behind a bookshelf.

"How dare you!" Mosquito fumed powerfully. "How dare you turn your ugly back on me! Come back here now!"

Kid scanned through the volumes of books. He knew what he was doing was stupid, foolishly daring but a little amusing.

He found the book he was looking for and tugged it out. Mosquito had caught up with him and stared at him dumbly, bug-eyed and mouth open.

"Are you READING? Have you gone SENILE?"

Kid shook his head and showed Mosquito the book he was holding.

"The Laws by Lord Death." Mosquito read softly. His brow knitted together and his right hand reached for the six-inch blade at his side.

Kid flipped to the correct page and presented it to the Lord, eyes shining.

"Law 0128: All victims subjected to torture must be given a valid reason of their torture by their tormentor."

The six-inch blade was suddenly poking through the binding.

Mosquito pulled the knife out and stabbed again, this time aiming for Kid's heart. Kid dropped the book and ducked. The movement unbalanced him and he crashed to the floor. The whip was out.

"You need a reason, Death the Kid?" Lord Mosquito thundered. "How about stealing my wife?"

As the thin rope cracked, Kid knew he was wrong. He was not immune to pain.


	16. Chapter 16

**Like a Wounded Beast**

Maka cringed when she heard the sharp snap of the whip and quickly took her mind off it. She did not want to know what was going up in the library. Liz was still crouched behind Soul, staring at the guards calculatingly. However, she made no move to expose herself and remained silent.

Suddenly, a newcomer stumbled into the hall with a faint cry. Maka felt her eyes widen. The stranger was a boy no older than her. His boyish features were covered with soot and his arm was bleeding.

There was no sign of hostility from the guards. These men evidently knew the boy well.

"Arachnophobia!" The boy gasped. "Arachnophobia have infiltrated the defence line near the forest. Requesting backup! Code red!" He grabbed the collar of the nearest guard and his eyes rolled up. His mouth started to foam and he started to cough weakly.

Maka squeezed her eyes shut before she could see everything.

When the raspy coughing died away, Maka could hear the guard murmuring, "Gas. He didn't deserve this." His tone took on a soft and deadly quality that made Maka shiver. "Alert the Lord now. We're leaving this place."

Maka opened her eyes slowly. The boy was lying lifelessly in one of the guard's arms. A wave of sadness crashed over her. He could not be over fifteen. How many more people had died under the cruel hands of the Arachnophobia? Then a dreadful thought hit her. Spirit enlisted. Maka knew her father was a capable fighter. He was a death scythe after all but he still made her worry.

A young guard sprinted up the stairs and returned downstairs in less than a minute. The Lord was right at his heels, his face pale.

At the sight of the Lord, Maka could not help feeling a sense of loathing and her earlier worries about the Arachnophobia attacks vanished. What had he done to Kid this time?

The Lord was sandwiched between the guards to minimise the contact with any invading Arachnophobia. The squashed-looking group exited the castle awkwardly but swiftly. The guard, carrying the boy's body, brought up at the rear. His face was blank but behind those dulled eyes, Maka could see a fire raging inside him.

The castle door slammed shut and Liz stood up stiffly, stretching her long legs. Maka noticed something in her eyes. Something close to vengeance and hatred. She was even more confused when Liz's eyes hardened at Kid's approach. Liz grabbed Maka, putting the scythe in between her and Kid.

Kid was wounded all over. His back was open with several cuts and his eyes were feverish. Kid clung tightly to the banister and sucked in deep, rattling breaths.

"You!" Liz spat. "You traitor!"

"Liz…" Kid moaned, trying to reach the bottom of the stairs without tripping.

"How could I be so blind? I should have known you were in it with the Lord all along!"

Kid tried to protest but Liz cut him off.

"He called you an old friend! I understand everything now! You two conspired to imprison me here! You two kidnapped Kid and goodness knows what else!"

Kid just stared.

Liz's dark eyes flashed and her voice was tinged with menace. "You know what, beast? I think I had enough. Either you tell me what's going on here or I'm leaving. I'm giving you three seconds."

Kid's gold eyes widened but not being able to say anything intelligible to Liz, he could only gape at her.

Liz's lips moved soundlessly as she counted the seconds down.

A spasm crossed Kid's face. He met Liz's eyes with desperation, urging her to understand him.

Liz's lips stopped moving and her expression was colder than winter.

"I thought so," she whispered and strode to the door. Her movement was so sudden that Maka slammed against her collarbone. She gritted her teeth in pain but Liz did not stop moving.

"Stop her." Soul spoke for the first time.

"Let her go." Kid sounded spent and utterly defeated.

"You have no idea what you're doing!"

"Let her go," Kid replied, more firmly this time.

Liz had opened the door and the frigid wind was like a knife against Maka's cheeks. With the dignity of a queen, Liz held her chin up and walked out of the castle.

The barrier did not impede her exit but Maka's case was entirely different. She felt the pressure against her body only momentarily. Maka felt herself falling. She crammed her eyes shut and bit her lip when she hit the ground. She opened her eyes slowly and felt her eyes water.

Liz stopped at the threshold. She stared at Maka with contempt and without another word, trekked off into the forest.

Soul was the first to burst into movement. He hurled his shield across the room, missing Maka by a few inches. The metal clattered against the wall deafeningly. "Did you see what you just did? It's over now! We're never going to turn back again!"

"Soul-" Maka began.

"Don't Soul me, Maka! I've had enough with this monster! Why did you do that, Kid? Why?"

"She didn't deserve this."

Soul dug his metal fingers into his palm. "Oh. My. Gosh!"

"Soul, that's enough. I'm at the end of my patience hearing both of you squabbling!" Maka said sternly.

Soul took an intimidating step forward so that his shadow was thrown across the room by the setting sun. His position made the dying rays flare out behind him, outlining his figure with an inferno glow.

"What do you think I'm at? Don't you think I find it _easy _living here? Spending endless days with that beast, listen to you defending that creature! Oh wait! You're not even here! You're always with Liz, pretending everything will work out just because you're some fairy princess or something!"

Maka felt the veins in her neck standing out in livid ridges. "Soul Eater Evans! Enough crap!"

Soul ignored her. He drew his sword from his sheath. "You know what? I'm _sick_ of this! _Sick_ of everything! I'm going back and I will find the best magicians to undo this curse. If anyone tries to stop me, you'll have my blade to answer to."

"Soul." Kid struggled to stand straight to face his friend. "There's only one petal left."

Soul did not bother to control his temper. There was rancour in his voice as he shouted, "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" He jabbed his sword hilt at Kid's head who sagged against the banister, unconscious.

Maka sat there in the carpet. Unable to move, she could only try to process what was happening in her mind. Everything had happened so quickly it seemed unreal. Did Soul say he was going back to the castle? To reverse the spell? With the last petal? Leaving them behind? Leaving her behind?

Maka was still dazed when Soul trotted downstairs, fully human. He treaded past Kid, avoiding as much physical contact as possible.

When he passed Maka, he glanced down at her.

"Soul! Don't!" Maka cried helplessly even though he could no longer understand her.

Soul turned an expression of with wintry disapproval upon her. His red eyes, once soft with adoration, had became chiselled with unveiled revulsion. There was a terrifying beauty about him.

"You're free to marry, Albarn." That was the first time he had called her that.

The cold wind from outside cut off abruptly as the door closed. Somehow, the chill remained.

Kid was beginning to stir. He rubbed his head and moaned, "Maka?"

"Over here," Maka murmured. She was still bemused by everything that had happened. Soul and Liz were gone. Even though Maka did not want to think about it, she knew Kid's demise was imminent. After that, there would be no one left. Just her.

Kid hobbled over, slipping twice on the way. He scooped her up in his paw.

"Is he gone?" He grunted and swayed a little.

"Yea," Maka said with a forced chuckle. "Well, I knew life as a suit of armour never suited him well." She pursed her lips as Kid swayed again. From her position, she could see the numerous cuts and lacerations on his body.

"Go upstairs to bed at once. You're in absolutely no condition to do anything."

Kid nodded groggily and staggered upstairs. He fumbled on the door knob for a while before he could open it with his clumsy claws.

Maka smelled the nauseating odour even before she entered the room. "Ugh! What is that?"

Kid grinned at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I haven't got around doing housekeeping around here."

Maka wrinkled her nose in distaste as Kid made his pilgrimage to the adjoining bathroom.

There was a colourful assortment of makeshift medicine in the bathroom. Toilet paper was used for bandages, iodine for antiseptic and dirty bottles of questionable solutions. In the bathroom, the stench intensified. Maka identified the source immediately.

A pile of used toilet paper cum bandages was lying at the corner of the bathroom. Some flies were orbiting around it languidly. One of them buzzed close to Kid who swatted it aside irritably.

Maka held her breath, not trusting herself to breathe as she watched Kid run his cuts under the tap. He worked with the efficiency of a healer, dabbing the medicines over his body and holding them in place with the toilet paper.

Once he was finally done and had carried Maka out of the foul-smelling place, did Maka breathe normally again. She was grateful to fill up her lungs with cooler, fresher air.

Kid plonked onto the bed and within seconds, he was asleep. Maka felt Kid's claws around her loosen and she rolled onto the bed. Maka stared at the ceiling for a long time, thinking about Soul and Liz. She resolved not to shed a single tear and was wide awake until troubled sleep took over her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Too Cold**

Maka was very warm and very snug. She felt as if she was sinking into folds of heavenly velvet. There was a comfortingly familiar scent that reminded her of a wet summer day. Maka breathed deeply and tried to nestle deeper into the velvet before she remembered she was still a scythe with no control over her muscles. The painful reminder irritated her and Maka blinked into wakefulness.

The first thing Maka noticed was that she was no longer in Kid's bed but in some creamy, peach-coloured thing that _moved_!

Startled, Maka let out a half-cry. She stifled it quickly when Kid stopped snoring.

"Sorry. Must have woken you up," Soul muttered, not sounding sorry at all. Nevertheless, his voice was no longer cold and detached anymore.

Maka studied him carefully. Soul was still human but several changes had taken place during the short spans of time they had separated. There were heavy eye bags under his hollowed eyes and his hair was dripping wet.

Maka had a million questions to ask but only one nagged at lips. "Are you staying?"

Of course, Soul did not understand a single word Maka said but he responded by hugging her tightly to his damp chest. His apparel was soaking wet but to Maka, nothing could ever be cosier.

"I don't have your courage," Soul admitted. "Initially, I was afraid of the Arachnophobia, then getting lost, then facing Father. But I soon knew— I was afraid of losing you."

If there are words could invigorate you, these felt like a long-awaited magic spell to Maka.

"What a waste of a petal, huh?" Soul laughed vacantly. "So will you take me back?"

Maka could not believe he was asking her this question. She replied at once. "Of course, you big oaf!"

And even though there was no way he could decipher her words, Soul broke into an eye crinkling grin.

Without warning, vibrant lights danced around them. Maka squinted at the window. Although the storm-beaten clouds may have blocked out the first lights of dawn, nature had transpired and dawn had finally arrived.

The light died away and the human was once again replaced by a suit of armour. Maka glared at him and Soul was wise enough not to break the silence.

"I was not amused by your little episode, Sir Soul Evans."

Soul chuckled in embarrassment.

"Right," Maka ordered briskly. "For your punishment, scrub the kitchen counter and oil every joint in this castle." She stopped talking when Kid started to stir.

Kid raised his head feebly from his pillow and caught sight of Soul on his bed. His gold eyes were wide and staring.

"What are you looking at, scientist?" Soul growled.

"I must be dreaming," Kid mumbled and his head flopped back onto his pillow. He closed his eyes as if to dispel the illusion before him.

Maka studied her friend closely. His animal face was drawn and his cheeks were sunken. Even his fur had lost its usual sheen. She bit the bottom of her lip in concern.

"Are you alright? You look sick."

Kid grunted but did not reply.

"Feel his forehead, Soul."

"I'm not touching him!" Soul hissed in aversion.

Maka closed her eyes slowly, counting under her breath to keep her temper under control. When she opened them again, her voice was deadly.

"Soul…"

"Alright, alright," Soul grumbled, placing his silver hand unwillingly on Kid's temple. He removed it almost instantly.

"Hot."

"Kid, can you get out of bed?"

Kid tried but he could not make it past sitting up on the bed. He leaned to the side suddenly and retched. Soul leapt nimbly out of the way but that did not stop the greenish liquid to splatter on his foot.

After staring at the sludge for a long time, Soul said apathetically, "Ew."

"Go back to sleep, Kid. We'll bring you something to eat."

"No…" Kid objected. "No food…" He retched again and Soul swallowed loudly to quell his distaste.

"We'll just get water," Soul assured hastily and backed out of the room.

"He seems pretty bad, huh," Maka commented as Soul poured a glass of water from the tap.

"Mmm…" Soul glanced at the back door where the chair was still propped against the door knob. Unknowingly, his metal fingers started to crush the glass. It was the spray of water and the tinkle of broken glass that stirred Soul. He turned back to the cabinet mutely to fetch a new glass. Maka did not utter a single word.

By some bizarre phenomenon, Kid slept on for a day and night. His glass of water had turned sour on his bedside table and Maka was beginning to wonder if he'd ever wake up again. The thought formed thick lumps in her throat.

Soul, unlike Maka, kept vigil beside Kid's bed reluctantly. Soon, his stays with Maka in the room grew shorter and shorter. The lack of conversation and endless waiting had at last bored him to the point of deserting his fiancée. He only visited her at night and even then, he was oblivious to the sleeping monster, not sparing one gander at him. Soul would curl beside the wall where Maka was perched against and sleep while the latter gazed worriedly on, eyes bloodshot.

Her patience had dried up on the fourth afternoon of waiting. She started yelling at Soul, screaming at him for being so selfish. Her enraged cries only lasted for a minute. Maka succumbed to a drunken sleep out of fatigue.

The biting cold awoke her and Maka's teeth chattered. She tried to catch a glimpse of the weather behind her but moving her head was impossible in this form. Maka gave up in the end and felt the cold rack through her body. Her teeth rattled uncontrollably.

Through the glass, Maka could hear the muffled but thunderous howl of the wind. Her skin prickled but she did her best to ignore the frigid temperature.

All of a sudden, a shadow fell upon her. At the extreme corner of her eye, Maka could have sworn she saw a dark shape clinging to the window outside. The black cloth whipped noisily in the wind, slapping against the glass windows.

Maka did not have time to decide whether she felt puzzled or horrified. The thing, whatever it was, had disappeared. The wind wailed as if it were never there.

It was in the afternoon on the sixth day when the much-needed miracle arrived. Kid stirred and struggled to a sitting position on his bed. He wrestled with the covers weakly until he was comfortable.

"Kid?" Maka murmured groggily. She had not slept well the night before since Soul had stopped visiting her altogether. A cold chill crept around her and she shuddered again.

"I'm alright," Kid croaked. Maka could hardly make out what he was saying. His voice was like the tiniest of whispers.

Maka took time to digest everything in front of her. Then, her half-closed eyes stretched wide with exhilaration and she shrieked,

"Kid! You're awake!"

He looked pale and emaciated. His fur clung to his skeletal frame, showing off the harsh angles of his bones. Kid groaned and the effort expired most of his energy. "The picture in the library."

"Do you know something?" Maka said excitedly.

"The picture…" Kid croaked.

"Yes?"

"It could be crooked. Help me check."

At this moment, Soul chose to appear. He rushed into the room and paused at the doorway. Maka was still incensed by the way Soul had forsaken her but seeing him there made her forget she was ever angry at him.

"Kid." Soul nodded. "You're awake."

"Soul." Kid wheezed and at the same time, his eyes turned upwards and he fell back onto his bed with a thump.

"Kid!" Maka exclaimed. The room spun around her and she could not breathe.

Soul walked calmly towards the immobile creature. He stuck out two fingers on Kid's neck to check for a pulse and rested his hand on Kid's forehead.

"He's alive," Soul growled and Maka sighed in relief. "But he's running with a high fever, though.

"He'll be alright, then," Maka said hopefully.

"I'm no doctor." Soul turned to leave but Maka called him back.

"Soul, could you make some soup for Kid? I don't think he has the strength to eat solid food for now. There's some chicken in the pantry."

Soul faced Maka for a while. He was so still that Maka was about to repeat her request when he moved. Soul made a bow and with a cold voice, he said,

"Of course."

It took Soul a long time before he finally returned to the room with a bowl of steaming soup. Kid's muzzle twitched at the fresh aroma and he blinked his eyes.

"Soul…"

Soul turned his empty helmet in Maka's direction. An unspoken conversation passed between them and Soul sighed. He spooned the soup and droned in a bored voice, "Open up."

Kid edged away from the bowl. "Soul, why-"

"My arms are going to fall off from waiting."

Reluctantly, Kid opened his jaws. His razor sharp teeth were yellowing and his tongue was red and parched.

Soul recoiled at the sight and dumped the spoonful of soup into Kid's mouth. Kid's throat bobbed painfully as he swallowed.

"Thank you, Soul," he said.

"Open." This time, Soul's voice was thin and reedy. He did not find this chore entertaining.

Kid opened his mouth obediently for the second time. Soul tipped the bowl into his mouth, emptying half of its contents.

The beast moaned in pain as the scalding hot liquid seared through his throat. His paws clawed at the mattress, leaving deep gouging marks behind.

"Soul!" Maka cried reproachfully.

"What the heck?" Kid hissed.

"Brush your teeth next time. The soup may have killed most of whatever's growing inside there but that doesn't mean you should neglect simple oral hygiene." Soul spat vehemently and left.

"You're going to pay for that!"

Maka felt anger bubbling in her blood but she kept cool. Kid was struggling to put the next spoon into his mouth but his giant paw kept shaking so much that the soup spilled everywhere. He gave up in the end and transferred the bowl unsteadily onto the bedside table.

"Well, on the bright side, this is the first time I get to have my meals in bed," Kid croaked cheerfully. He pulled his covers up to his chin and closed his eyes.

"How long have I been asleep?" Kid murmured sleepily.

"You were out for six days. That makes it seven days since Mosquito's visit."

"Say 'eight'. Eight is a perfect number. Eight is good…"

Maka could tell from Soul's tone he was hiding something. She wanted to press him but he was soon snoring.

A small tap made Maka swivel her eyes around as far as she could. She only caught a peek at the dark thing on the window. It vanished into the whirlwind of autumn leaves as promptly as it had appeared.


	18. Chapter 18

Hey guys! The story is reaching its end. Still, review aaway! ;D

**Visiting the Sick**

What would you do if you have less than forty-eight hours left to live and are confined to a sickbed? If you're smart, go to sleep, pretend everything's alright and dream of the world in symmetry. Kid was not smart. He stayed awake, felt the world crashing around him and worried about the damn picture in the library.

The days flew, more quickly for Kid than for Maka. As far as Maka was concerned, she was certain he would live at least until spring. Her words did nothing to soothe his fears.

He put on a very-artificial looking smile, however. Maka would only be upset and in addition to Soul's rejection, she may not be able to cope with another piece of bad news.

"Tell me what Patty did to free that swan again," Maka murmured drowsily from her position on the wall.

Kid almost jumped. Maka had been quiet for so long he'd thought she had gone to sleep. The crystal sunlight sparkled into the room, full of morning promises.

"Well," Kid began, his throat painfully sore. "Patty always loved swans and-"

He was interrupted by sudden heavy footsteps as Soul barged into the room. The door was almost thrown off its hinges and it protested weakly at the impact.

Kid knew Maka wanted to yell at her fiancé again and was not disappointed.

"Hey!" she said indignantly. "I know you literally have no brains but you could at least knock!"

Soul strode to the edge of the bed and rested his hands against the frame. His voice was suddenly very intense.

"Kid, you've got some visitors."

"Who?" Kid whispered though he already knew.

"The Lord and his merry men."

"Soul! Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Maka's voice had taken on a panicked tone.

Soul did not answer but his metal fingers crept towards the sword on his belt. Kid stared helplessly at the ceiling. He could not move— that was for sure and he did not believe he would have the strength this time to fight back. He had to hide.

Kid grappled with the covers and tried to untangle himself. He felt a wave of nausea and his head spun but he did not stop until he was finally out of the bed.

Soul did not move an inch as he watched Kid rock on his heels.

"Soul," Kid gasped, trying his best not to vomit. "Could you help me?"

Soul still would not budge.

Kid gritted his teeth. "Please?"

"Soul! Help him!"

Soul exhaled loudly and muttered, "What'd you want me to do?"

"Help me get under the bed," Kid managed to say. He clamped his mouth shut and tried to focus on a steady object in the room. But everything in the room seemed to have their very own animations. Kid tightened his grip on the bed frame and shot Soul a pleading look.

Soul snorted and went over to help. He pried Kid from the bed post and stumbled when Kid leaned against him for support. The metal was like ice on his fevered body.

Kid moaned when he felt the ground hit him. Fortunately, his body was so numb that he could not feel a thing but the rush of air unsettled his stomach. A bile rose in his throat but he fought to ignore it.

Then, he felt himself spinning. Soul was rolling him under the bed but it felt like the universe was orbiting around him at a thousand miles a second. A sharp jerk tugged at his gut and this time, Kid could not restrain himself. He retched quietly under the bed and turned away from the puddle he had formed. And even though his life was in peril, Kid sunk into dreams of symmetrical worlds in no time.

At first, Kid thought he was still dreaming. Soft, gentle hands were pulling him out of his wretched position under the bed. From his last check, Soul, Mosquito and his army of soldiers were the only beings capable of controlling their limbs. None of them would dream of giving him such tender treatment.

Kid blinked open and when he saw his rescuer's face, his heart must have stopped because he must have died and he must be in heaven now.

"Beast! I'm sorry I left!" Liz spluttered at once. Her dark eyes were deep with regret. She had changed her clothes and her hair was bundled up with a silver crown resting softly on top. Her skin was gleaming with health. "I know you'd never hurt Kid and I'm so sorry for being so mean to you!"

Kid purred so loudly that his body trembled with the sound. "Liz…" He said, loving the way the name sounded on his tongue. Kid raised a claw to stroke her face but his claw lingered an inch away when Liz spoke again.

"That's why I've come to say goodbye."

Kid's eyes focused and he sat upright. This was no dream. This was reality. He could not believe something so wonderful was snatched away from him so quickly.

Kid was fully aware that his mind was on the verge of snapping. He forced himself to take slow breaths to calm himself.

"Kid?" Maka called meekly. Kid glanced down at the scythe beside Liz on the floor.

"What's happening?" Kid croaked.

"Mosquito came but he's outside the castle now. There were two guards and Liz was with him. She must have returned to the DWMA. I'm so sorry."

Kid's eyes were transfixed with horror.

Liz let go of Kid and stared at him sorrowfully. "I would have come earlier but the army could only make it after winter."

The word 'winter' made Kid's heart kick into fifth gear. He glanced swiftly to the window. The sun was at its apex and all around the house, the ground was blanketed with dazzling white snow. The reflection off the snow stunned Kid and he shut his eyes tightly. How much time left till the next day? Six hours?

"Beast," Liz took his paws. Kid's eyes flew open. Electricity sizzled through their hands but Liz was too intent on the monster before her to notice. "You must help me escape. I cannot go back to the DWMA. Please… Mosquito thinks I'm coming back here to take my dresses. He's outside, waiting for me. You need to hide me, please…"

Kid felt the stone-cold realisation collide into him. He should have known better than to keep his hopes up. Liz was only concerned about herself. For a moment, Kid considered surrendering her to Mosquito and wait until the day ended, but that was not his style.

He nodded once and Liz's face glowed.

"Soul! Will you come here for a second?" Kid shouted even though his throat hurt.

"Kid!" Maka hissed. "What are you trying to do?"

Soul trotted into the room. He gazed at Liz. Both of them. Liz's eyes were huge and she subconsciously pinched her arm, as if to confirm she was not dreaming.

"Guys," Kid cleared his throat. "I'll be taking my leave after today."

Maka gasped so loudly Liz stared at her in shock. Soul inclined against the door indifferently.

The truth had felt bitter in his mouth but Kid was glad he did not have to keep this secret any longer.

"Hey old pal, will you hear me out?"

"Certainly," Soul said solicitously.

"Lock Liz and Maka in the Room of Roses. Don't let them out. Not even if they beg you to. Protect them and make sure Mosquito won't harm them. And keep the portraits in the house symmetrical." Kid added as an afterthought.

"That's a lot of requests," Soul commented but he nodded and snapped his fingers. The sound was disturbing, metal half-hitting, half-grating against metal.

Nobody moved. Liz was so pale she could have been buried in the snow outside and no one would notice.

Soul sighed, hooked an arm under Liz's armpits and Maka in the other and started hauling them away. Liz shrieked then. She squirmed in Soul's iron grip, trying to free herself.

"What are you doing? Let go of me, you monster!"

"Kid! What are you saying? What leave?"

"Let go of me you monster!" Liz screeched. "Where are you taking me? Let go! Kid! Mosquito! Anyone! Help!"

There was a distant thump, followed by a shriek of protest. The lock clicked from down the corridor and everything was silent.

"I suppose you're the guy who ate Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, am I right?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey everyone, since this story is nearing its end, let's make a deal. I'm still gonna be posting one chapter every week unless I get five reviews. So it's up to you guys! Five reviews or an update on the 26****th****. **

**The Monster Who Ate Little Red Riding Hero**

Kid turned around so fast he almost lost his balance. His expression darkened.

There were two spearmen standing before him in black cloaks, one tall, one short. Both of them had hoods which casted shadows over their eyes.

"We heard noises! Where is the Lord's wife?" The Tall One spoke.

"Straight ahead, through that window and jump out. She's below," Kid answered promptly but it cost him energy. He wobbled, trying to stay his companion still-hooded Borah. "Did you understand it?"

"Not an 'it'," Kid groaned.

The Short One shook his head silently.

Kid pointed to the window with one claw and the Tall One rushed to it.

"There's nothing here!" the Tall One said, swinging his spear at the window frame in annoyance. The frame broke apart and fell inwards, sending shards of glass flying through the room.

Kid raised his furry paw to his face to protect himself. When it was safe again, he lowered his arm. There was a tiny piece lodged in his flesh but it was not deep enough to give him real pain. Biting his teeth around it, Kid yanked the glass out and spat it on the floor.

The Tall One was pricked badly with tiny bits of glass. His armour had protected the most essential parts of his body but that did not stop the glass from embedding themselves into her legs.

The Short One yelled and charged at Kid, spear pointing at him.

It did not help that Kid's reflexes were much slower than before. He dodged at the last minute and the spear sank into the wall. The plaster broke and fine grains of cement trickled down.

Kid did what he thought was most intelligent. He took to his heels.

The Short One did not even stop him as he dashed out of the door. When Kid dared to look back for the last time, the Short One and Tall One were looking strangely amused. Kid did not have any time to ponder over their peculiar behaviour. He was running for his life. Kid streaked down the staircase as fast as he could. But where could he run to? He was going to be hunted down like an animal.

Kid skidded to a halt at the atrium of the castle. He had another unexpected visitor.

Well-armoured with a golden breastplate, a tall helmet with a blood-red tail attached.

"Mosquito!" Kid cursed.

Mosquito walked until he was no more than an arm's length away from Kid. He stared up at him and frowned, as if concentrating.

Kid had a few feet in height on him, yet he felt alarmingly tiny compared to Mosquito who still studied him contemplatively. Long, cool fingers captured Kid's chin, ducking his head down to meet the Lord's gaze.

It was disconcerting to see the dark, empty eyes boring into his. He could not tear away, much as he wanted to. Mosquito released Kid and pushed him away.

Kid stumbled but did not fall.

Kid gasped and took a step back, for all the good it would do him. Mosquito moved with him, twirling with his sword as he did.

He pressed the wickedly sharp edge of the sword against wound on Kid's arm was caused by the glass. What had been a tiny cut at first was now a deep gash gushing copious amounts of blood by the second. The pain was so horrible. The metal shifted unnaturally inside his flesh, making his stomach lurch naturally at the sensation.

Mosquito removed the sword calmly and sheathed it back in the scabbard belted to him. "There are tons of rooms in this castle and I know you have imprisoned Liz in one of them. So," Mosquito unsheathed his sword, "either we do it the hard way," he pointed the sword at Kid's uninjured arm, "or the easy way where you show me her room." The sword shifted to his throat.

"Go drink fish poop, Mosquito," Kid growled.

Mosquito's eyes squinted dangerously. He had not understood a single word of Kid's threat but the intention was as clear as day. The Lord charged.

Instantly, Kid was on his guard. Kid ducked a flying swipe at the head and kicked at the Lord's legs. Mosquito rolled clumsily and stood upright a few feet away. That was as far as Kid's luck had gone. As Mosquito renewed his charge again, things were starting to get bad for him.

Kid was knocked onto the ground by the charge. Before he could recover, Mosquito had his sword inside his other arm. Kid promised he would not scream no matter how bad the pain was but this was different. This was excruciating. Every cell of his body screamed in agony and his thoughts were filled with nothing but white, hot burning. Kid gasped and felt sweat roll down his forehead in streams. Tears were forming at in his eyes too and he did not bother to fight them back.

Mosquito withdrew his sword from Kid's arm and his body convulsed in anguish. The Lord's eyes were cold. "Stand up and fight."

Kid struggled to stand. Both his arms throbbed and he could barely see clearly. He retreated to the staircase. Mosquito followed at a steady pace, the sword always pointing in front of him. The crimson colour was the only thing that Kid could focus on in his half-blind state. It then occurred to him that the cerise substance on the sword was his own blood.

He did not know where he was going. Only that he was retreating. Walking backwards. Avoiding death which was one and a half inches away.

"Kid," a familiar voice hissed. "Where are you going?"

Kid could not see anything beyond the shiny foot of Soul. He groaned in pain and continued edging away from the blade. "Uh…" It was the most intelligible thing Kid could say at that point.

The sword point led him to a room Kid had never seen before. It was a cubicle, wide enough for a maximum of five people to move freely and low enough for a normal sized human to walk through.

As he was moving backwards, Kid did not notice that the door frame was too low for him until his head smacked into it. He stopped, pain shooting through his spine. He had lost clarity of his vision and he paused.

Only he could make out the crimson colour and it was too close to his face for comfort. Kid ducked down and backed into the room. He regretted it instantly. He was now truly trapped.

"I'm a very reasonable man, son of Lord Death," Mosquito said, "and I'd appreciate your full cooperation. Show me where Liz is and I'll let you go. Don't show me where she is, and I'd inflict the worst pain you have ever felt in your entire life. So, would you help me?"

Kid coughed, spitting out a clot of blood onto the dark carpet. It was going to leave a stain. "Not… on my… watch."

"I thought so." Mosquito sighed. "I guess I do have to search every room for her then and with only two people to help." He turned back to Kid and smiled. Kid could tell he was smiling because he saw a flash of white in front of him.

"Now," Menalaus drawled, almost lazily, "we were in the middle of killing you, right? Let's get this over and done with."

Kid did not see it coming. He was bowled over and he landed ungracefully on the carpet, face up. A sharp edge was resting on his thigh gently, not breaking the skin. One moment it was there, one moment it was not. The next, he felt unimaginable pain searing through him.

He could literally feel the blood draining away from his face, the constant currents of blood all over him. The more he resisted the urge to shriek like a girl, the more it hurt. As the blinding pain tore through his whole body, Kid's will crumbled and he screamed.


	20. Chapter 20

**Behind the Face**

"Open up!" Maka shouted, feeling so frustrated that she was unable to accentuate her words with actions.

Liz was pounding on the door and screaming as well but Soul did nothing to unlock the door. Finally, after what seemed like hours of not responding, Liz gave up. She picked Maka up and pressed her close to her chest.

"I knew I should never have come back," she muttered to herself. "This place gives me the creeps." Liz lay down on the carpet, defeated.

Maka was not done yet, however. She shouted at Soul incessantly, shooting all the curses she knew at him.

There was a loud roar of pain from outside and Maka screamed again. Liz froze and looked as if she was listening carefully.

"The beast!" Liz's voice was a hushed whisper. "I need to get out of here!"

Yes!

"Open the door!"

"Open the door, Soul! I think Liz knows who Kid is!"

There was no resistance. Instantly the door swung upon.

"GO!" Maka yelled but Liz did not need to be told what to do. She snatched Maka from the ground and sprinted past the armour and down the corridors where the scream came from.

They heard Kid's voice then. He let out a bloodcurdling scream from somewhere further down the corridors. The sound was so terrifying, mainly because Maka knew her friend would never make such a sound if it had nothing to do with symmetry.

Liz sprinted down to the room Kid was in. She stopped short when she saw Mosquito there. Kid was on the floor, bleeding and broken.

"Liz!" Mosquito said, looking up.

"Liz…" Kid groaned.

"Liz!" Maka screamed, breaking Liz from her mesmerised stare. Liz pushed past Mosquito and crouched beside Kid.

"Stay away from that thing, sweetheart. It's dangerous," Mosquito growled. He put his hand on her shoulder in restraint but Liz brushed him aside. She took Kid's head in her hands. Her movements were infuriatingly slow. The sun was almost out of sight.

Kid blinked. There was blood in his eyes but he smiled when startling gold met Liz's.

"No!" Liz hissed.

"Liz, I-" Kid never got to finish his sentence. The sun disappeared behind the horizon. His head dropped to his chest.

"Kid!" Liz screamed. "Kid!"

Maka screamed with her friend. It was over. Everything.

Liz threw herself across Kid's motionless body, her tears turning his fur darker. She grasped a handful of Kid's lifeless pelt, veins standing out in the back of her hand.

Burying her head into the tufts of fur, Liz cried.

Liz was eighteen when she fell into the waters of the moat around the DWMA, and Kid had been the one to pull her back out.

She was nineteen when she fell onto the dirty floor of an old castle that was once her prison, drowning in her pain, and this time there was no one to pick up the pieces.

Mosquito helped her up forcibly. "Shh… my sweet angel. You're safe now. The thing will never harm you again."

"How could you?" Liz spluttered. There were tear tracts all over her face. Maka did not say anything. It felt like her heart was being ripped from her body.

"It's a monster. Monsters are meant to be slain," Mosquito answered kindly, stroking her hair.

"And so you're next to go, Mosquito."

Everyone gasped. Kid was getting up to his feet but this was not the Kid everyone had seen falling down. This was the one in his full human form, blazing with fury in his eyes. His body was unmarked as if no sword had ever run through him. His hair was wet, dripping tiny sparkles onto the carpet. Each time the liquid came into contact with blood, the red puddle disappeared.

Maka then felt a light forming inside her. She could not see it but somehow, she knew what was going on inside her. The light grew in her body and expanded, pushing muscles and limbs outwards as it did so. It was not uncomfortable, rather, it was invigorating, like coming out from a cold shower.

She began to unfreeze. Her fingers tingled and moved— _moved!_ —as she broke the invisible ice immobilising her body. The light stopped streaming through her and Maka stared at her whole body, awestruck. Her hair felt wet but refreshed.

"Maka!" Liz cried, stunned.

"What the-" The Short One gaped as he and his companion charged into the room.

There was a hiss behind Mosquito who whipped around. Soul was still in his suit of armour. He was whispering something unintelligible and before anyone could respond, he tossed his sword to Kid. Kid reached his hand out and the hilt landed in the middle of his hand.

Soul had changed. He was staring at his hands with wide-eyed fascination. Silver drops dotted in his hair. His fringe splayed across his forehead wetly, giving him a very boyish look. His full lips curved slowly to a smirk.

The Tall One moved like an arrow from a bow. He knocked Soul over with his spear and sent him spread-eagled on the floor.

Maka roared in fury until she realised she was no longer limited to vocal insults. She sprung to her feet and charged at him. Using only her bare hands, Maka pushed the Tall One to the ground and pressed his face into the carpet. The Tall One growled and spat out a mouthful of carpet strings.

The Short One was on top of Maka like an enraged kitten but Maka refused to release her prey.

The Short One sunk his teeth into Maka's hand and Maka let go at once. The Tall One leapt to his feet and narrowed his eyes at Maka. With a battle cry, he charged at her with his spear.

"To me!" Kid shouted, brandishing his Liz wildly over his head. He looked like a ferocious warrior with his starlight in his hair and his gun making wild arcs in the air.

"Take him down!" Mosquito ordered and at once, the Tall One and Short One veered away from Maka. The two guards were side by side as they charged at the Kid.

Kid growled and fired. The Tall One fell to the ground.

"You fools!" Mosquito thundered. "Finish him!"

"Mosquito! Less talk more fighting!" Maka said, drawing the DWMA principal's attention to her.

Mosquito glanced sharply at the person who spoke. His eyes were amused when he saw Maka.

"Aw, the little wittle girl looks afraid. Do you want daddy to end your misery?"

Maka rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! You? A daddy? More like great grandma."

Mosquito ran forward, his sword out.

"Soul! Now!" Maka screamed. In a flash of blue light, Soul was in her hand, back in his scythe form.

Mosquito growled and moved forward to end her life.

He was going to puncture a hole into her chest with his sword and Maka could not find a way to manoeuvre around it. To properly wield Soul, what Maka needed most was space.

She tried to step aside but Mosquito was too close to allow her an space for escape. The sword gleamed with Kid's blood and Maka foolishly wondered if her blood was going to end up there as well.

"Maka!" Soul cautioned.

Trusting on her instincts, Maka ducked and swung Soul at Mosquito's legs. Mosquito skipped over the blow and returned it by lashing a foot out at her legs. It was so fast. There was a sickening crack and Maka gritted her teeth in pain.

She pulled her wounded leg away and winced when she moved it.

Mosquito had his sword against her heaving chest. The sword was so close Maka had to edge away to avoid being stabbing herself accidentally.

Maka held her breath as the sword touched her chest. The moment it touched her, the fabric around the sword slit open and a trickle of blood slipped to the carpet.

"Maka!" Soul shouted. "Do something!"

Maka retreated as far as she could until she felt the hard wall behind her. Mosquito grinned and covered the distance between them with two long strides.

From over the Mosquito's shoulders, Maka saw the Tall One get up and grabbed Kid from behind and knocked Liz out of his hand. Kid's face was momentarily stunned then he flailed his limbs wildly. Liz regained her human form.

At a close range, Mosquito had the upper hand. The scythe would do no good here. Mosquito slashed the formidable weapon down at Maka. There was no space to move. The wall was behind her and she could not push Mosquito aside without risking a severe blow to the shoulder.

Maka pushed aside the pain in her leg and kicked at his shins at the last minute, hoping that the force was enough to unbalance him. The force made her teeth chatter as her foot connected with the gold protective armour. But it worked to an extent. Mosquito's sword arched narrowly past her and he stumbled backwards. Maka braced herself for his next attack, blood roaring in her ears, but there was no need to.

"Queen Liz is g… gone!" The Short One shouted breathlessly, pointing frantically out of the window. "T… tried to stop her but she escaped t…to the forest!"

Mosquito's reddened eyes widened. "Liz," His growl was soft and determined. He barked an order to the Short One and Tall One and charged out of the door like an enraged bull. The Tall One let go of Kid at once and followed Mosquito.

Maka saw the trio racing into the dark forest, the night masking the vibrant colours of Mosquito's gold and red armour. Soul turned back to his human form. It was finally over.

"She left?" Kid asked. His voice sounded bewildered, like a little child.

"Nah," Liz said, appearing gracefully from behind the door. "I'm still here."

Soul glowered at her but did not say anything. Kid was staring at Liz as if he was seeing a completely different person.

Liz ran up to him, her face radiating joy. "I did it! I broke the spell!"

"Took you long enough," Maka grumbled under her breath, trying to stand upright. Soul grabbed her arm to steady her.

Kid just stared.

"Kid?" Liz's mouth turned downwards. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Liz," Kid began. He coughed and his voice strengthened. "If I told you I'd remain as a monster, a beast, would you still want me?"

Liz's frowned. "But you're not a monster." She wrapped her hands around Kid's neck for a hug but the Kid did not seem to notice her.

"I mean, if I can't be human anymore, would you still love me?"

"Yea," Liz breathed softly without hesitation. "Yea, you dummy."

"But you didn't even look at me in the eye when I was…"

"I was stupid and blind. I should have figured it out earlier," Liz murmured. "I never got around to saying this but I love you, you stupid symmetry freak!"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Kid's lips. "Really?"

"Ye-!"

Liz suddenly found her mouth full. Kid had taken her head in his hands and pressed his lips against hers.

"Look away," Maka growled when Soul, who was watching with amusement, started to giggle uncontrollably.

Soul turned to gaze into her eyes. "You know, Maka, we've never kissed before."


	21. Chapter 21

Beast

**Kiss the Girl**

Maka backed away and had to grab at the wall to support herself. "Oh, no. You don't."

Soul held her hands and pulled her to him. Maka could count her heartbeats. One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

His lips were enveloped in hers. Six, seven, nine, eight, ten. Her eyes flew open with shock. Her arms were on fire and her neck was flushing red. Eleven, thirteen, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, fifteen, nineteen, a hundred, a thousand.

Maka pulled away before the kiss ended.

"Maka?" Soul asked. His eyes were wonderfully bright, sparkled with exhilaration.

Maka licked her lips self-consciously. She could not tell if the experience was amazing or appalling.

"I… couldn't breathe," Maka muttered, not meeting Soul's eyes.

"That's because I'm breathlessly good looking," Soul chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Kid and Liz were still in their passionate embrace and Maka motioned Soul to leave. The pair stole quietly out of the room.

Soul scratched the nape of his neck distractedly. "You know, let's get married."

"NOW?"

The front door was sliding open. Soul transformed back into a scythe in her hands. Had Mosquito returned?

But it turned out that the newcomers were not enemies.

"YAHOO! BLACKSTAR IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!"

"Maka and Soul!" Patty was the first one to look up to the second storey and gasp. She looked ready to jump and hug her.

"Maka? Soul?" Tsubaki asked. "What are you- where is Kid?"

"HEY BRO!" BlackStar butted in. "WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE? THIS IS MY SHOW DUDE!"

A tiny laugh made Maka turn around indignantly. Kid's hand was looped over Liz's and his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Maka, you're dress." Kid hissed.

"Oh yea, it was my wedding dress but I kinda tore-"

"It's unsymmetrical."

Maka glared at him. "Glad you can join us." She turned her back on him childishly and nodded at Liz. "You broke the curse."

Liz bobbed her head and pressed herself adoringly against Kid's side. "I couldn't do it without your help."

"Thanks," Maka murmured sincerely. Liz met her eyes and nodded again. It felt strange that throughout the year, Liz had kept her by her side, playing with her and talking to her. Now, there was awkwardness between them.

During their time together, Liz had freely shared her little fantasies of Kid with Maka, divulged her deepest, darkest secrets, confessed about her concerns if Kid could ever marry her and fretted about how her hair looked. Maka had unintentionally invaded her private life. She knew every flaw, every secret and she could understand if Liz was not entirely comfortable in her presence.

"Are you guys okay?" Tsubaki called up. "You looked like you just fought a war."

"YEAH! THEY DIDN'T HAVE ME! IF I WAS THERE, I'D SLAUGHTER EVERYONE!"

"We're fine, evidently," Kid replied. "In fact, we're about to leave this place."

Maka's ear pricked at his words. They were going to get out! It had seemed like an impossible dream until now.

Soul stood up straighter. "Let's go now."

"Wait," Kid interrupted. "Liz's got a cut. I'll go get some disinfectant before we go."

"I'm fine," Liz insisted.

"I'll come with you," Soul offered though he avoided Kid's eyes.

Kid shook his head, face flushing. Maka knew he was thinking about the pungent stench in the bathroom. "I'll be right back with them. Give me a moment ok?"

Liz touched Kid's arm longingly but let him go. Kid went into the room directly behind them and there was a soft scramble, possibly for the medicine.

Minutes later, BlackStar was already pacing up and down impatiently. Even though Maka was one floor above him, she could still see every second was tormenting him.

"HEY KID! YOU'RE TAKING TOO DAMN LONG!"

"I'll go check up on him." Soul said before BlackStar could burst from impatience.

He was back within a second.

Liz looked up expectantly, expecting to see Kid appear behind him.

Maka noted his pale face and her whole body tensed.

"Did you find him?" BlackStar demanded from downstairs.

"No," Soul said. There was a faint trace of concern in his eyes but it was gone so quickly Maka could not be sure. "But I found this."

Casually, he tossed the material he was holding in his hand to Maka. It was a piece of Kid's shirt, pretty badly torn up.

"No!" Maka hissed when none of them responded to the roars for silence. "We need to find Kid! Come on!"

Maka charged back into the room. The first step she took into the gloomy bedroom, Maka's senses sharpened. She could feel danger lurking nearby and she studied the room twice before daring to venture into the bathroom.

"Maka!" Liz squeaked. Maka turned and she saw what Liz was pointing at. There was a small opening in the floor and Maka pulled the floor panel up to reveal a gaping hole. Whoever tried to escape was sloppy.

Maka glanced at Liz and saw real fear in her friend's eyes but Liz did not turn back. They made their way cautiously to the hole. Staring into the bottomless abyss, Maka trembled slightly. She took a breath to calm herself before lowering herself carefully into it. This was it.

**Unintentional**

Standing up uncomfortably straight, Kid's hands were pinned tightly behind his back by four strong hands. There were definitely going to be bruises. Unidentical bruises. Kid groaned, wishing that he had more than a tentative hold on his consciousness.

He swallowed thickly and swore at himself for letting his guard down. In his state of drunken mood of celebration, he had been too stupid to notice someone creeping up on him. He had been too stupid to decline Soul's offer to accompany him; if Soul was there, he would have paid more attention to his surroundings, and they would not have been ambushed. He had been stupid and now, Kid was going to pay for his stupidity.

They were in a cramped room just one floor below where the hole opened to. The door was bolted shut and Medusa had placed a dozen or so enchantments on it. Kid had been in this room before. It was just another spare room with nothing but a carpet, tall windows and loads of cushions which he arranged symmetrically on both sides of the room.

The night was a quiet black, serene and blissfully unaware of the horrors that was taking place in the castle. Kid could only clutch to the tiny fabric of hope that this was not going to be his last night.

Medusa had finished washing her hands in a bowl she had conjured out of nowhere and returned to Kid with a dusty book in her hand.

Kid recognised the book of transformations he had left in the library. No, not again.

But Medusa smiled.

"Oh no, it's not what you're thinking. I'm not going to waste time turning you into an animal again. This is a death spell."

Although he knew it was just a waste of effort, Kid struggled to free himself. The firm grips restrained him, giving him not much movement to play with.

"Hold him still!" Medusa snapped.

Kid felt tough fingernails digging into his arm but he continued thrashing.

"Why are you so bent on killing me?" Kid yowled helplessly.

Medusa stood approximately ten feet away and made the book hover in the air in front of her. "I've never quite liked you, Kid and not to mention the huge bonus Lord Mosquito promised me when we bring your head back."

"What kind of woman are you?" Kid whispered.

"If the Lord wants you dead, then I'll have you dead." Medusa raised her right hand and with her palm aimed directly at Kid, she began to chant in an eerie voice,

"Recindo sundres whims offern!"

Kid screwed his eyes shut and readied himself.

"Slippereen rosepold swanters finite!" Medusa's last word ended abruptly and she gave a surprised gasp. Kid felt the grip on his left arm loosen and a scream pounded on his ears.

He opened his eyes quickly when the grip on his arm loosened. Kid saw the guard's astounded eyes dull rapidly as life seeped out from them. His scream faded into a whimper, a whimper to a whisper and then to nothing. He fell to the floor with a muffled thump.

Maka was staring open-mouthed at the corpse. She was sitting on the ground beside Medusa whom she had just pushed away in an attempt to save Kid. In doing so, she had killed someone.

Liz was hiding behind a cushion, peering out timidly.

The other guard released Kid's arm and knelt beside his companion with a cry.

"More are coming. We have to go!" Medusa ordered just as BlackStar dropped down from the hole in the ceiling.

"But-"

"Out! Hurry!"

The windows sprung open from its hinges at Medusa's words. Night crickets shrieked immediately and a frigid breeze swept through the room. The guard nodded and with his companion's body in his arms, he ran unsteadily towards it. He looked back for the last time, his tear-stained face hardened when he saw Maka. The guard spun around again and jumped out.

Fortunately for him, the windows were on the first floor. The weight of the corpse did not cause him once to break stride as he fled to the forest.

"You!" Medusa snarled.

"I… I didn't mean to," Maka stammered.

Medusa's fist tightened around her book and with a final glare, she disappeared into midair.

The door opened as if it had never been locked and Soul, BlackStar, Tsubaki and Patty spilled in.

"What happened?" Soul said, seeing the identical dread playing on Maka's, Liz's and Kid's faces.

Maka shook his head. "N… nothing."

As they stood up to leave, Kid leaned in to speak to Maka. "Are you okay?"

Maka's face was distraught. Her leaf-green eyes brimmed with tears but she nodded shakily. Liz looped her arm around Kid's and pressed herself close for comfort.

Kid felt waves of sleepiness were overcoming him. He stumbled a little, almost taking Liz down with him but Soul caught him in the last minute. They stared at each other for a while and then, Kid allowed himself to be helped up without tearing himself away.

Dawn broke in a flash of cruel red sunlight bleeding through the horizon. The night crickets had fallen into a deadly silence and colours were starting to gleam harshly over the still world.

Kid shuffled listlessly with the group. There were no expected turbulent feelings of elation and freedom, just weariness.

But he permitted himself a small smile and hugged Liz closer to his body. Liz returned the gesture and her warmth enveloped him. He forgot how she smelt like- wild strawberries, even though it was mixed with the tangy smell of blood.

Suddenly, he pushed away in horror and Liz stared questioningly at him.

"Hey, kid-"

"Liz!" Kid gasped. "What have you done?"

"Nothing! I-"

"YOU FOOL! YOU'RE EYEBROWS! THEY'RE UNSYMMETRICAL!"

Liz made an extremely unfeminine voice in her throat and tackled him onto the ground.

"No fair!" BlackStar protested. "I was going to be the first person to take Kid down!"

Soul was beside him, chanting,

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" while Maka slapped him on his head and told him to stop being immature.

Kid flushed at the open display of affection Liz was giving him.

"Don't come any closer, you unsymmetrical freak!" Kid muttered, so only Liz could hear. "I can count at least five overgrown hairs on the left eyebrow itself. The right has two disgustingly long hairs."

Liz bent closer and her hair spilled over, making a curtain from their friends' prying eyes. The lashes that framed her eyes were stunningly long.

"Now you've done it!" Kid hissed. "I see that there are less eyelashes on your right eye. What did you do? Pluck out your eyelashes?"

Her mouth curved upwards. Full and perfect.

"I think I've told you this before but why is the left part of your lips more-"

Her mouth crashed into his. It was hard and unruly. Kid could taste something salty and realised that Liz was crying. He opened his mouth, feeling new sensations driving into his body. His blood. His body. His mind. All on fire.

He took control of the kiss, pulling Liz closer to him until her body was splayed across his. Surprisingly, she did not taste like she smelled. She tasted bitter and salty. But Kid loved it.

"Welcome back, you idiot!" Liz murmured when they finally broke away.

"You're still unsymmetrical. When we get home, we need to start Phase Revolution to make you symmetrical."

Liz groaned exasperatedly. "You know, I liked you better when you were cursed and could not talk."

"Um... guys?" Maka's voice called from somewhere. "We kinda should be moving soon. Mosquito and the others might be coming back."

Kid and BlackStar interrupted her with howls of laughter. Kid felt his face heat. He quickly disentangled himself from Liz who was blushing harder than him. He had to stop himself from kissing her again.

"C'mon, let's go," Kid said, standing up and pulling Liz to her feet. BlackStar and Soul were still laughing, head locked together in a private joke as they strolled out the castle grounds. Tsubaki was protesting about something but they ignored her completely.

As he passed by the iron gates, Kid saw a single crimson rose in the ground. Morning dew clung to its petals. They glittered like a thousand knives.

**This is it guys! The fanfic is finally over. Thanks for staying with me throughout this whole journey. And for your reviews! Dang, I love your reviews! ;D**

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